ma dou ling

Name: ma dou ling
Creator: Bencao Index

马兜铃·Fructus Aristolochiae

birthwort fruit, aristolochia fruit

Contains aristolochic acid

About ma dou ling

Ma Dou Ling (马兜铃) is the fruit of an aristolochia, recorded as Fructus Aristolochiae. It is bitter in flavour and slightly cold, entering the Lung and Large Intestine channels. The catalogue files it under obsolete substances.

Names

Pinyin	ma dou ling
Chinese	马兜铃
Latin Name	Fructus Aristolochiae
English Name	birthwort fruit, aristolochia fruit·birthwort fruit, aristolochia fruit; dutchmanspipe fruit·dutchmanspipe fruit
Japanese	batorei
Korean	maduryeong

Classification

Category: Obsolete Substances
Channels: Lung, Large Intestine
Flavour: Bitter
Temperature: Slightly Cold

Actions and indications

Clears the Lungs, transforms Phlegm, stops cough and calms wheezing

Cough or wheezing from Lung Heat with Qi rebelling upward
Cough and wheezing from Phlegm-Heat lodged in the Lungs
Deficiency Heat of the Lungs
Chronic asthma from Lung deficiency

Clears and drains Large Intestine Heat, reduces swelling and relieves pain

Swelling and pain around the anus from Large Intestine Heat
Bleeding hemorrhoids and anal fistula

Lowers blood pressure

Hypertension with Liver Yang rising

Combinations

jie geng + gan cao
Lung Heat with cough, wheezing and rough breathing from Phlegm
zhi mu + bei mu + tian men dong
Lung Heat damaging fluids, with cough, scant sputum, thirst and irritability
xing ren + e jiao + niu bang zi
Yin Deficiency with blazing Fire, causing dry cough or blood-streaked sputum
huai jiao + di yu + huang qin
Bleeding hemorrhoids.
xia ku cao + gou teng + huang qin
High blood pressure with rising Liver Yang
sang bai pi + huang qin + xing ren
Phlegm accumulation or Lung Heat causing cough and wheezing
zao jiao ci + shao yao tang + zhen ren huo ming yin
Hemorrhoids.

Dosage

Age	Raw	Granule	Tincture	Concentrate	Frequency
Any 3-10g; Tincture: 1-3ml	3-10 g	—	1-3 ml	—	—

Cautions

caution Toxic: it contains aristolochic acid and has been shown to cause cancer; if used at all, only with great caution
caution The traditional cautions listed here, recorded for history, understate the real risk
caution China dropped it from the 2020 edition of its Pharmacopoeia; Qing Mu Xiang, Guan Mu Tong and Guang Fang Ji, related Aristolochia herbs, had been banned there since 2004
caution United Kingdom: medicinal products made from or containing any Aristolochia species have been prohibited since July 2001
caution Kidney impairment makes the hazard worse, because the body clears aristolochic acid less well as kidney function falls
caution Products containing aristolochic acid have continued to be sold informally online
contraindication Diarrhea from Spleen deficiency
contraindication Cough or wheezing of the Deficiency Cold type
contraindication Lung Qi deficiency
caution Nausea or vomiting may follow large doses or long use

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