IARC MONOGRAPHS ON THE EVALUATION OF CARCINOGENIC ...

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IARC MONOGRAPHS VOLUME 82
Figure 2. Aristolochia debilis Siebold and Zuccarini
From Qian (1996)
1, flower twig; 2, root; 3, fruit
Tian Xian Teng (Herba Aristolochiae in Latin and Dutchman’s pipe vine in English)
consists of stems of A. debilis and A. contorta that are slenderly cylindrical, slightly
twisted, 1–3 mm in diameter, yellowish green or pale yellowish brown in colour, with
longitudinal ridges and nodes and internodes varying in length. The texture is fragile; the
stems are easily broken and when fractured exhibit several vascular bundles of variable
size. The leaves are mostly crumpled and broken, but, when whole, are deltoid narrow
ovate or deltoid broad ovate and cordate at the base, dark green or pale yellowish brown
and basal leaves are clearly veined and slenderly petioled. It has a delicately aromatic
odour and is weak to the taste.
Qing Mu Xiang (Radix Aristolochiae in Latin and slender Dutchman’s pipe root in
English) is the root of A. debilis and is cylindrical or compressed cylindrical, slightly
tortuous, 3–15 cm long and 0.5–1.5 cm in diameter. It is yellowish brown or greyish
brown in colour, rough and uneven, and exhibits longitudinal wrinkles and rootlet scars.
The texture is fragile; the root is easily broken and when fractured shows an uneven, pale