Aristolochia bracteolata
Aistolochla bracteata
Aristolochia bracteolata, commonly known as a species of birthwort, is a climbing herbaceous plant native to tropical regions. Recognized by its unique heart-shaped leaves and tubular flowers, it holds historical significance in traditional medicine. However, modern science warns of its potent nephrotoxic properties, requiring extreme caution in medicinal use.
- Scientific name: Aristolochia bracteolata
- Family: Aristolochiaceae
- Native range: Africa
Taxonomical Classification
This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. It is further classified within the order Piperales and the family Aristolochiaceae. Finally, its specific taxonomic placement is within the genus Aristolochia.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Piperales | WCVP |
| Family | Aristolochiaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Aristolochia | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Aristolochia bracteolata, is referred to by various common names depending on the language and region. In Tamil, it is called ஆடுதீண்டாப்பாளை, while in Malayalam, it is known as ആടുതൊടാപ്പാല. In Chinese, the plant is called 杀虫藤, which is written as 杀虫藤 in Simplified Chinese (zh-cn) and as 殺蟲藤 in Traditional Chinese (zh-tw).| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ta | ஆடுதீண்டாப்பாளை | Wikidata |
| ml | ആടുതൊടാപ്പാല | Wikidata |
| zh | 杀虫藤 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 杀虫藤 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 殺蟲藤 | Wikidata |
| ur | ایشر | Wikidata |
| ar | غاقة | Wikidata |
| te | గడపరాకు | Wikidata |
| zh-hans | 杀虫藤 | Wikidata |
| ar | غاغة | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant is primarily distributed across several regions within the African continent. In West Tropical Africa, its presence is documented in Burkina, Mali, Niger, and Nigeria. Beyond the western region, its range extends into West-Central Tropical Africa. Specifically, it can be found growing within the Central African Republic. Together, these locations define the specific geographical footprint of Aristolochia bracteolata.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| West Tropical Africa | Burkina | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Mali | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Nigeria | WCVP |
| West Tropical Africa | Niger | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Central African Republic | WCVP |
| West-Central Tropical Africa | Cameroon | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Chad | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Djibouti | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Eritrea | WCVP |
| Northeast Tropical Africa | Ethiopia | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Aristolochia bracteolata, is a species where the medicinal properties are often associated with the whole plant. As a member of the Aristolochiaceae family, every component—from its climbing stems and heart-shaped leaves to its unique, tube-like flowers—contains the complex chemical compounds that define its biological profile. When studying its pharmacological potential or traditional uses, researchers often consider the whole plant to understand the synergistic effects of its various constituents.- Total parts
- 1
- Scientific sources
- 2
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| whole plant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Aristolochia bracteolata has 6 reported phytochemicals identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Aristolochic Acid-I, Aristolochic Acid-II, Aristolochic Acids, aristolochic acid, sterols.
- Total chemicals
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Aristolochic Acid-I | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aristolochic Acid-II | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aristolochic Acids | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aristolochic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| sterols | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tannins | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Aristolochia bracteolata has 6 reported activities identified across 6 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic, Antibacterial, Carcinogenic, Diuretic, Mutagenic.
- Total activities
- 6
- Scientific sources
- 6
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Carcinogenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Diuretic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Mutagenic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Nephrotoxic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Aristolochia bracteolata has 10 reported medicinal uses identified across 11 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include malaria, Moraxella catarrhalis, Plasmodium falciparum, Russell's viper venom, cobra venom.
- Total uses
- 10
- Scientific sources
- 11
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| malaria | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Moraxella catarrhalis | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Plasmodium falciparum | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Russell's viper venom | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| cobra venom | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| diuretic effects | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| fevers | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| snake bite | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| tumors | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| wound healing | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |