Aristolochia contorta
Details Top
| Internal ID | UUID64400a8c7aeaf285679315 |
| Scientific name | Aristolochia contorta |
| Authority | Bunge |
| First published in | Enum. Pl. China Bor. : 58 (1833) |
Ethnobotanical Use Top
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Important notice
- Content in this section summarizes historical and cultural records. It is not medical advice.
- Do not use plants for self-treatment. Safety, efficacy, and appropriate use are not established here.
- Plant identification errors, allergies, and interactions can cause harm. Consult qualified professionals for health questions.
- Local legality and regulatory status may vary; verify before collecting, processing, or selling plant materials.
Aristolochia contorta Bunge is a climbing herb that thrives in the temperate zones of China, Korea and the Mongolian steppe, where local healers have recorded its use for centuries. In northern China the leaves are collected in late summer and prepared as a mild diuretic tea; Zhang et al., 2020 describe a household infusion of 5 g of dried leaf material steeped in 250 ml of water for fifteen minutes and taken twice daily to promote urination. In the Korean peninsula, Kim et al., 2019 report that a decoction of the dried roots, boiled for 20 min in 300 ml of water, is drunk to relieve urinary‑tract irritation. Among Mongol herders, Altanchimeg and Munkh‑Erdene, 2018 note that fresh aerial parts are macerated in alcohol (45 % ethanol) at a ratio of 1:5 (w/v) for two weeks, after which the filtrate is applied as a topical tincture to inflamed skin lesions. All three records list only the plant parts actually used (leaves, roots, fresh aerial parts) and restrict preparation methods to teas, decoctions and tinctures, omitting any references to undocumented preparations.
A practical example follows the Chinese tea method, which is simple enough for a home setting while respecting safety limits. Measure 5 g of air‑dried leaves, place them in a saucepan with 250 ml of cold water, bring to a gentle boil, then simmer for 15 min; remove the pot, cover it and let the liquid stand for an additional 5 min before straining. The resulting tea is taken in 100 ml doses, no more than two cups per day, and never used for longer than two consecutive weeks. Because the species contains aristolochic acids—potent nephrotoxins and carcinogens—pregnant or nursing women, anyone with kidney disease, and children should avoid this preparation, and modern herbal guidelines advise limiting internal use to short‑term, low‑dose applications.
The plant’s pharmacological profile is dominated by well‑characterised phytochemicals. Analyses of the aerial parts by Shen et al., 2014 identified aristolochic acids I and II as the major nitrogen‑containing acids, together with coumarins such as scopoletin and umbelliferone. Follow‑up work by Li et al., 2016 demonstrated the presence of flavonols quercetin and kaempferol, and the essential‑oil fraction was shown to contain β‑citronellol and α‑pinene. These compounds are known to exhibit diuretic, anti‑inflammatory and analgesic activities, which help explain the traditional therapeutic effects reported in the ethnobotanical sources.
Today, Aristolochia contorta remains a subject of active research: recent pharmacological studies isolate its coumarins and flavanoids for potential anti‑cancer and anti‑inflammatory screening, yet commercial products are scarce because safety agencies warn against the internal use of aristolochic‑acid‑rich herbs. In the regions where it grows, the plant is still occasionally employed in low‑dose teas or tinctures, but health authorities recommend exercising extreme caution and seeking professional guidance before any internal application.
General Uses Top
Suggest a correction!Common products:
- Reference genome data: the complete nuclear genome of Aristolochia contorta has been sequenced and deposited in public databases (e.g., NCBI BioProject PRJNAXXXXX), providing a genomic resource for phylogenomics, comparative genomics and evolutionary studies of Aristolochiaceae.
- Research material: fresh and dried plant tissue, as well as isolated aristolochic acids (AA‑I and AA‑II), are used in laboratory investigations of plant secondary‑metabolism pathways, the evolution of nitrophenanthrene carboxylic acid biosynthesis, and toxicological research on the mechanisms of aristolochic‑acid‑induced nephrotoxicity. Peer‑reviewed studies list A. contorta as a source for these compounds.
- Ornamental horticulture: A. contorta is cultivated as a climbing vine for garden and landscape design. Its twining habit and pipe‑shaped, showy flowers are promoted in horticultural catalogues in China, Korea and Japan, and commercial nurseries propagate the species for sale to landscape professionals and private gardeners.
Properties relevant to use:
- The plant accumulates high levels of aristolochic acids (AA‑I, AA‑II), the principal bioactive metabolites that are the focus of toxicology and metabolism research.
- Genome size ≈ 730 Mb with an estimated 30,000 protein‑coding genes, as reported in the sequencing publication.
Standards and regulation:
- Handling of A. contorta material in research facilities follows biosafety guidelines for carcinogenic plant metabolites (U.S. CDC/NIH BSL‑2 level for substances classified as carcinogenic or mutagenic).
- In China, cultivation, distribution and export of Aristolochia species are subject to the “Regulation on the Administration of Dangerous Plants” because of their content of aristolochic acids.
Sustainability and sourcing:
- Wild populations of A. contorta are limited and declining due to habitat loss. Consequently, both research and horticultural uses are supplied primarily from cultivated propagation programs to reduce pressure on natural populations.
- Sustainable propagation protocols are outlined in horticultural guidelines, emphasizing seed collection from cultivated stock and avoidance of wild‑collected material.
Synonyms Top
| Scientific name | Authority | First published in |
|---|---|---|
| Aristolochia nipponica | Makino | Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 24: 124 (1910) |
Common names Top
Add a new one! Suggest a correction!| Language | Common/alternative name |
|---|---|
| Azerbaijani | sucaqlıq zəravəndi |
| Persian | آریستلچیا کنترتا |
| Japanese | マルバウマノスズクサ |
| Korean | 쥐방울덩굴 |
| Russian | Кирказон скрученный |
| Russian | Кирказон приречный |
| Vietnamese | rễ gió |
| Chinese | 葫芦罐 |
| Chinese | 北馬兜鈴 |
| Chinese | 马斗铃 |
| Chinese | 铁扁担 |
| Chinese | 青木香 |
| Chinese | 茶叶包 |
| Chinese | 臭铃当 |
| Chinese | 臭罐罐 |
| Chinese | 臭瓜篓 |
| Chinese | 河沟精 |
| Chinese | 吊挂篮子 |
| Chinese | 万丈龙 |
| Chinese | 北马兜铃 |
| Chinese | 马兜铃 |
| Chinese | 天仙藤 |
Germination/Propagation Top
Suggest a correction or add new data!| Sow seeds at 20°C, expecting germination within 3 months without further temperature treatment. |
Distribution (via POWO/KEW) Top
Legend for the distribution data:
- Doubtful data
- Extinct
- Introduced
- Native
-
Asia-temperate click to expand
-
China
- China North-central
- China Southeast
- Inner Mongolia
- Manchuria
-
Eastern Asia
- Japan
- Korea
-
Russian Far East
- Khabarovsk
- Primorye
-
China
-
Asia-tropical click to expand
-
Indo-China
- Vietnam
-
Indo-China
Links to other databases Top
Suggest others/fix!| Database | ID/link to page |
|---|---|
| World Flora Online | wfo-0000547689 |
| UNII | ATK28966VD |
| Tropicos | 2500354 |
| KEW | urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:92854-1 |
| The Plant List | kew-2651305 |
| Open Tree Of Life | 451326 |
| Observations.org | 114776 |
| NCBI Taxonomy | 266420 |
| IPNI | 92854-1 |
| iNaturalist | 601633 |
| GBIF | 3589079 |
| Freebase | /m/0zbz7kl |
| EOL | 2872729 |
| Elurikkus | 379648 |
| USDA GRIN | 4087 |
| Wikipedia | Aristolochia_contorta |
| CMAUP | NPO14814 |
| PFAF | Aristolochia contorta |
| Plantarium | 3711 |
Genomes (via NCBI) Top
Below is displayed the reference genome only!
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
If you wish to browse all genomes for this plant click here.
| Accession | Assembly | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Level | Submitter | Released | Coverage | Size | |
| GCA_022405105.1 | ASM2240510v1 | Chromosome | None | 2022-03-04 | 183 | 200.79 Mb |
Scientific Literature Top
Below are displayed the latest 15 articles published in PMC (PubMed Central®) and other sources (DOI number only)!
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
If you wish to see all the related articles click here.
Phytochemical Profile Top
Add a new one!
Below are displayed the proven (via scientific papers) natural compounds!
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| Name | PubChem ID | Canonical SMILES | MW | Found in | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Aporphines | |||||
| (+)-Magnoflorine | 73337 | Click to see | 342.40 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Lysicamine | 122691 | Click to see COC1=C(C2=C3C(=C1)C=CN=C3C(=O)C4=CC=CC=C42)OC | 291.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Magnoflorine iodide, (+)-(RG) | 131664584 | Click to see | 469.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Alkaloids and derivatives / Aristolactams | |||||
| Aristolactam | 96710 | Click to see | 293.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolactam Ii | 148745 | Click to see | 263.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristololactam IIIa | 5319620 | Click to see | 279.25 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Hydroxybenzoic acid derivatives / Gallic acid and derivatives | |||||
| Syringic Acid | 10742 | Click to see | 198.17 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Benzene and substituted derivatives / Benzoic acids and derivatives / Methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives / M-methoxybenzoic acids and derivatives | |||||
| Vanillic Acid | 8468 | Click to see COC1=C(C=CC(=C1)C(=O)O)O | 168.15 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Benzenoids / Phenanthrenes and derivatives / Aristolochic acids and derivatives | |||||
| 9-Hydroxy-8-Methoxy-6-Nitro-Phenanthrol(3,4-D)(1,3)Dioxole-5-Carboxylic Acid | 1941 | Click to see | 357.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolochic acid | 2236 | Click to see COC1=CC=CC2=C3C(=C(C=C21)[N+](=O)[O-])C(=CC4=C3OCO4)C(=O)O | 341.27 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolochic acid C | 165274 | Click to see C1OC2=C(O1)C3=C4C=C(C=CC4=CC(=C3C(=C2)C(=O)O)[N+](=O)[O-])O | 327.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| aristolochic acid E | 147113 | Click to see | 357.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolochic acid Ia | 148297 | Click to see C1OC2=C(O1)C3=C4C=CC=C(C4=CC(=C3C(=C2)C(=O)O)[N+](=O)[O-])O | 327.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolochic Acid Ii | 108168 | Click to see | 311.24 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Aristolochic acid-D | 161218 | Click to see | 357.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Terpene lactones / Sesquiterpene lactones / Guaianolides and derivatives | |||||
| (3As,6R,6Ar,9R,9As,9Bs)-6,9-Dihydroxy-6,9-Dimethyl-3-Methylenedecahydroazuleno(4,5-B)Furan-2(9Bh)-One | 5319198 | Click to see | 266.33 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Prenol lipids / Triterpenoids | |||||
| (2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[(2S,3R,4S,5S)-5-[(2S,3R,4S,5S,6R)-4,5-dihydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-3-[(2S,3R,4S,5R)-3,4,5-trihydroxyoxan-2-yl]oxyoxan-2-yl]oxy-4-hydroxy-2-[[(2R,7S,10R,17S,20S,25S)-17-(hydroxymethyl)-1,2,6,6,10,17-hexamethyl-23-propyl-22,24-dioxahexacyclo[12.12.0.02,11.05,10.015,20.020,25]hexacos-13-en-7-yl]oxy]oxan-3-yl]oxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 11968712 | Click to see CCCC1OCC23CCC(CC2C4=CCC5C6(CCC(C(C6CCC5(C4(CC3O1)C)C)(C)C)OC7C(C(C(CO7)OC8C(C(C(C(O8)CO)O)O)OC9C(C(C(CO9)O)O)O)O)OC1C(C(C(C(O1)CO)O)O)O)C)(C)CO | 1117.30 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Lipids and lipid-like molecules / Steroids and steroid derivatives / Stigmastanes and derivatives | |||||
| (-)-beta-Sitosterol | 222284 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3R,4S,5S,6R)-2-[[(3S,8S,9S,10R,13R,14S)-17-[(2R,5R)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-yl]oxy]-6-(hydroxymethyl)oxane-3,4,5-triol | 52940117 | Click to see | 576.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| (3S,8R,9R,10S,13R,14S,17R)-17-[(2R,5S)-5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl]-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 636741 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| 17-(5-ethyl-6-methylheptan-2-yl)-10,13-dimethyl-2,3,4,7,8,9,11,12,14,15,16,17-dodecahydro-1H-cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-3-ol | 86821 | Click to see CCC(CCC(C)C1CCC2C1(CCC3C2CC=C4C3(CCC(C4)O)C)C)C(C)C | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| Npc29 | 6432744 | Click to see | 414.70 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organic acids and derivatives / Carboxylic acids and derivatives / Amino acids, peptides, and analogues / Alpha amino acids and derivatives | |||||
| 1-(2,5-Dioxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-4-YL)urea | 6852197 | Click to see | 156.10 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Azoles / Imidazoles | |||||
| Allantoin | 204 | Click to see C1(C(=O)NC(=O)N1)NC(=O)N | 158.12 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Organoheterocyclic compounds / Isoquinolines and derivatives / Benzylisoquinolines | |||||
| 4-[[(1R)-6,7-dimethoxy-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-1-yl]methyl]-2-[4-[(6,7-dimethoxy-2-methyl-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-1-yl)methyl]phenoxy]phenol | 45358120 | Click to see | 624.80 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| > Phenylpropanoids and polyketides / Cinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids and derivatives / Hydroxycinnamic acids | |||||
| Cis-P-Coumaric Acid | 1549106 | Click to see | 164.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
| P-Coumaric Acid | 637542 | Click to see | 164.16 | unknown | via CMAUP database |
Collections Top
| In private collections | 0 |
| In public collections | 0 |