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Aristolochia bracteolata

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aristolochia bracteolata
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Magnoliids
Order: Piperales
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Genus: Aristolochia
Species:
A. bracteolata
Binomial name
Aristolochia bracteolata
Synonyms[1]
  • Aristolochia abyssinica Klotzch
  • Aristolochia bracteata Retz.
  • Aristolochia crenata Ehreb. ex Duch
  • Aristolochia kotschyi Hoscht. ex A.rich
  • Aristolochia mauritiana Pers.
  • Einomeia bracteata (Retz.) Raf

Aristolochia bracteolata also known as 'worm killer' in English due to its anthelminthic activity and trypanocidal effect, is a perennial herb growing from 10–60 cm tall. The plant is important in traditional medicine in Africa, India and the Middle East.

Distribution and ecology

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Aristolochia bracteolata grows in subsaharan regions from Mali to Somalia through to the Arabian peninsula and India. The plant grows at elevations of 50-740m above sea level and can be found on the banks of rivers, bushland, desert grasslands. It grows in sandy or lava soils.[2]

Description

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Aristolochia bracteolata is a climbing or prostrate perennial herb with an unpleasant smell, stems 10–60 cm tall from an underground rhizome. The leaves are ovate 1.5–8 × 1.5–7 cm with a petiole 0.5–4.5 cm long.[3] Flowers are dark purple, 0.5–5 cm tubular, with trumpet shaped mouth. Capsules are oblong-ellipsoid, 1.5–2.5 cm.[citation needed] Aristolochia bracteolata has been observed to have 2–3 flowers per leaf axil in Somalia, however outside Somalia the plant seems to have solitary flowers.[3][4]

Cultivation

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Aristolochia bracteolata is usually gathered from the wild.[2]

Traditional medicine

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Aristolochia bracteolata has been used in traditional medicine in Nigeria, India, and Ethiopia as an infusion of dried leaves to treat intestinal worms, skin itch, or insect bites.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Aristolochia bracteolata Lam". The Plant List.
  2. ^ a b "Aristolochia bracteolata - Useful Tropical Plants". tropical.theferns.info. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  3. ^ a b "Aristolochia bracteolata in Global Plants on JSTOR". plants.jstor.org. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  4. ^ "Aristolochia bracteolata - Worm Killer". www.flowersofindia.net. Retrieved 2018-04-22.
  5. ^ Suliman Mohamed M, Timan Idriss M, Khedr AI, Abd AlGadir H, Takeshita S, Shah MM, Ichinose Y, Maki T (2014). "Activity of Aristolochia bracteolata against Moraxella catarrhalis". International Journal of Bacteriology. 2014: 481686. doi:10.1155/2014/481686. PMC 4745564. PMID 26904734.

Further reading

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