Ma Dou Ling - 馬兜玲 - Fructus Aristolochiae

Pharmaceutical Latin:	Fructus Aristolochiae
Common English:	Aristolochia Fruit Birthwort Fruit Dutchman's Pipe Fruit

Category

Obsolete Substances: Herbs that Transform Phlegm and Stop Coughing; Herbs that Stop Cough and Wheezing (Anti-Asthmatics

Properties

Taste	Temperature	Entering Meridians	Dosage
Bitter (Slightly Acrid)	Slightly Cold (Cold) (Neutral)	Lung Large Intestine	3-10g Tincture: 1-3ml

Actions And Indications

Actions	Indications/Syndromes
Calms wheezing, Clears the Lungs, Stops coughing, Transforms Phlegm	Cough or wheezing due to Lung Heat with rebellious Qi Lung Deficiency Heat Lung Deficiency chronic asthma
Clears and drains Large Intestine Heat and reduces swelling and pain	Large Intestine Heat with swelling and pain in and around the anus Bleeding hemorrhoids and fistula
Lowers Blood pressure	Hypertension due to Liver Yang Rising

Contraindications, Incompatibilities And Herb/Drug Interactions

Major Combinations

Rx. Platycodi Jie Geng Rx. Glycyrrhizae Gan Cao	Rx. Anemarrhenae Zhi Mu Bul. Fritillariae Bei Mu Rx. Asparagi Tian Men Dong	Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren Colla Corii Asini E Jiao (Fr. Arctii) (Niu Bang Zi)
Lung Heat cough and wheezing with rough breathing from Phlegm.	Cough with scanty sputum, thirst and irritability from Lung Heat injuring the Fluids.	Dry cough or coughing up Blood- streaked sputum from Blazing Fire due to Yin Deficiency.
Fructus Sophorae Huai Jiao Rx. Sanguisorbae Di Yu Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin	Sp. Prunellae Xia Ku Cao Ram. cum Uncis Uncariae Gou Teng (Rx. Scutellariae) (Huang Qin)	Cx. Mori Sang Bai Pi Rx. Scutellariae Huang Qin Sm. Armeniacae Xing Ren
Bleeding hemorrhoids.	Hypertension in patients with ascending Liver Yang.	Coughing and wheezing due to accumulation of Phlegm or Lung Heat.
Spina Gleditsiae Zao Jiao Ci Peony Decoction Shao Yao Tang Or True Man Decoction to Revitalize Life Zhen Ren Huo Ming Yin
Hemorrhoids.

Notes

1. In recent years this herb has been used for hypertension with flushing and light-headedness.
2. Since it is extremely bitter, Fr. Trichosanthis Gua Lou is frequently used in its place.
3. Rx. Aristolochiae Qing Mu Xiang (Ma Dou Ling Gen) is acrid, bitter, and cool or Cold, and enters the Stomach and Liver; it moves Qi, relieves pain, clears Heat, reduces swellings and relieves Fire toxins. It is used for distention and pain in the pit of the Stomach, dysenteric diarrhea due to poor summer eating habits, hernial disorders, carbuncles, and toxic swellings including snakebite. It is toxic and must be used with extreme caution. Combined with Rz. Cyperi Xiang Fu and Fr. Toosendan Chuan Lian Zi, it treats Stomach and Liver Qi Stagnation. Combined with Rz. Coptidis Huang Lian and Sm. Arecae Bing Lang, it treats abdominal pain and diarrhea. Combined with Rx. Angelicae Dahuricae Bai Zhi, it treats snake bites and may be taken internally or applied topically. The dosage is 6-9g.
4. According to some sources, this herb descends and disperses Qi.
5. Ma Dou Ling and Fol. Eriobotryae Pi Pa Ye both enter the Stomach and Lungs, descend Qi and cool Heat, and are used for cough due to Lung Heat. Ma Dou Ling is particularly indicated for coughing up of Blood from Lung Heat and Yin Deficiency with blazing Fire. It also cools the Large Intestine, treating hemorrhoids. Pi Pa Ye is particularly indicated for Phlegm that is hard to expectorate; it is better at descending Qi, transforming Phlegm and relieving cough, but cools less. It also treats Stomach Heat with thirst.
6. Prepared Birthwort Fruit Zhi Ma Dou Ling is processed with honey; it is less bitter and prevents vomiting and nausea, but can transform Phlegm and moisten the Lungs. It is useful for Lung Deficiency with Heat causing wheezing and cough.
7. Herba Aristolochiae Birthwort Stem Tian Xian Teng is bitter and warm, enters the Spleen and Liver channels, regulates Qi, transforms Dampness, invigorates the Blood and stops pain. It is used for postpartum pain, pain from bulging disorders, and epigastric pain from Liver/Stomach disharmony. Less often, it is used for Bi pain of the arms, at a dosage of 3-9g.
8. The root of the Ma Dou Ling plant is Qing Mu Xiang.