IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC ...

Figure 1. Aristolochia contorta Bunge
SOME TRADITIONAL HERBAL MEDICINES 71
From Qian (1996)
1, flower twig; 2, fruit; 3, longitudinal section of fruit; 4, seed
Aristolochia debilis (see Figure 2) differs from A. contorta chiefly in the following:
Leaves are 3–8 cm long and 2–4 cm wide, cordate at the base, with round auricles on
both sides and a petiole 12 cm long. Capsules are subglobose or oblong.
The dried fruits of both A. debilis and A. contorta (Ma Dou Ling), also known as
Fructus Aristolochiae in Latin and Dutchman’s pipe fruit in English, are ovoid and
3–7 cm long and 2–4 cm in diameter. The outer surface is yellowish green, greyish green
or brown, with 12 longitudinal ribs, from which extend numerous horizontal parallel
veinlets. The apex is flattened and obtuse and the base has a slender fruit stalk. The pericarp,
which is light and fragile, is easily divided into six valves; the fruit stalk is also
divided into six splittings. The inner surface of the pericarp is smooth and lustrous, with
dense transverse veins. The fruit is six-locular, with each locule containing many seeds,
which are overlapped and arranged regularly. The seeds are flat and thin, obtuse triangular
or fan-shaped, 6–10 mm long, 8–12 mm wide and winged all around, and pale
brown. The fruit has a characteristic odour and a slightly bitter taste.