The manshurian dutchman's pipe stem is the vine stem of the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family vine plant, the northeastern Dutohmanspipe Fruit (Aristolochia manshuriensis Kom.). Its stem has distinct pores. It is mainly produced in Jilin, Liaoning, Heilongjiang and other provinces. It is harvested in autumn, dried, sliced, and used raw.

Armand Clematis Stem is the dried stem of the Japanese buttercup herb family plants, small Akebia Stem (Clematis armandii Franch.) and the hydrangea vine (Clematis montana Buch.-Ham.). It is mainly produced in Sichuan, Hunan, Shaanxi, Hubei, Guizhou and other provinces. The vine stems are harvested in spring and autumn, the coarse bark is removed, and they are dried or sliced fresh and then dried.

Currently, the Akebia Stem medicinal materials used mainly include manshurian dutchman's pipe stem, Armand Clematis Stem, Huai Tong, and white Akebia Stem, among which the most widely used is the manshurian dutchman's pipe stem; followed by Armand Clematis Stem; Huai Tong is the woody stem of the large-leaved Dutohmanspipe Fruit and Huai Tong Dutohmanspipe Fruit; white Akebia Stem is only produced and sold in a few areas. The Akebia Stem recorded in historical materia medica is the Akebia Stem of the Akebia Stem family, which is rarely used today.

In the Han dynasty, "Tong Cao" referred to a vine of the Lardizabalaceae family, which is the modern-day "Mu Tong." During the Tang and Song dynasties, a folk material called "Tong Cao," used for making head ornaments and artificial flowers, was actually the pith of Tetrapanax papyrifer, a plant of the Araliaceae family. Its texture was white and sponge-like, commonly known as "white Tong Cao." To avoid confusion and prevent medication errors, physicians began using the name "Mu Tong" when prescribing, with "Mu" (meaning "wood") also emphasizing its woody nature.

Bitter cold. Act on heart, small intestine and bladder meridians.

Efficacy

Clears heat, promotes urination and relieves strangury, drains heart fire, unblocks blood vessels, and promotes lactation.

Indications

1. is used for heat stranguria with astringent pain, heart vexation, and reddish urine, as well as edema and beriberi. It is taken for its ability to clear heart fire and drain dampness-heat, allowing the pathogenic dampness-heat to be expelled through urination. Therefore, it is often combined with Unprocessed Rehmannia Root, Huang, Liquorice Root, , Bamboo Leaf, , and others, such as in Redness-Removing Powder, , for treating up-flaming of heart fire, mouth and tongue sores, or heart fire descending to the intestines causing heart vexation and reddish urine. For bladder dampness-heat with scanty reddish urine and dribbling pain, it is often combined with Grass of Common KnotGrass, , Lilac Pink Herb, , and others, such as in Eight-Ingredient Rectification Powder, . For beriberi with swelling and difficulty in urination, it can be used with Polyporus, , cultivated purple perilla leaf, , Areca Seed, , and others, such as in Akebia Stem Powder.
2. It is used for amenorrhea and scant milk, as well as dampness-heat bi pain. This herb promotes menstruation and lactation, and can also benefit the blood vessels and unblock the joints. For treating scant or obstructed milk, it can be combined with Cowherb Seed, , Pangolin Scales, , fistula disease reed, , and others, or stewed with pig trotters, , and taken as a soup. For treating blood stasis amenorrhea, it is combined with Carthamus, , Peach Kernel, , Salvia, , and others, especially suitable for blood heat and stasis obstruction. For treating dampness-heat bi pain, it is often combined with Gentian, , Stephania Tetrandra, , Coix Seed, , and others.

Documentation

1. Bencao Xinbian: "Akebia Stem, expels water qi, benefits urination, also an adjuvant medicine, indispensable yet not to be overused, as excessive use can deplete the original qi."

Usage and Dosage

Decoct and take orally. 3-9g.

Cautions and Contraindications

It has been reported that 60g of Manshurian Dutchman's Pipe stem decocted with water and taken orally has caused acute renal failure in some cases. Therefore, the dosage should not be excessive.

Modern Pharmacology

The manshurian dutchman's pipe stem contains Dutohmanspipe Fruit acid, tannins, calcium, saponins, fatty oils, etc.

1. The manshurian dutchman's pipe stem of the Dutohmanspipe Fruit family is nephrotoxic and can lead to renal tubular cell apoptosis and renal interstitial fibrosis. Consuming more than two taels of Akebia Stem at once can cause renal failure. Taiwan banned its import in November 2003.
2. This product has diuretic and cardiotonic effects.
3. It has inhibitory effects on dysentery bacillus, cold-damage disease bacillus, and certain skin fungi.