The source is from the stem of the deciduous woody lianna, Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz. var australis (Diels) Rehd., Akebia trifoliata (Thunb.) Koidz., and Akebia quinata (Thunb.) Decne, family Akebia. The above medicinal material is mainly produced in the areas of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces. The source of Guanmutong (Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis) is from the stem of Aristolochia manshuriensis Kom., family Aristolochiacere. Its material is mainly produced in the areas of Jilin, Liaoning, and Heilongjiang, etc., collected in autumn, dried in the sun, cut into pieces and the crude form is used.

Medicinal Properties: Bitter in flavor, cold in nature and attributive to the heart, small intestine and bladder meridians.

Actions: Clear away heart-heat, promote diuresis, menstruation and lactation.

Application
1. It is used for stranguria of heat type. For flaring up of heart-fire manifested as aphthae and heart-fire involving small intestine marked by restlessness and darkish urine, it is usually combined with Shengdihuang (Radix Rehmanniae ) , Gancao ( Radix Glycyrrhizae ), Zhuye (Folium Phyllostachydis Nigrae ), such as Dao Chi San (Powder); for dampness-heat in the bladder with dripping discharge, difficulty and pain in micturition, usually combined with Cheqianzi (Semen Plantaginis ), Qumai (Herba Dianthi), etc., such as Bazheng San (Powder).
2. It is used for amenorrhea due to blood stasis, and especially suitable for that accompanied by blood-heat, it is combined with Honghua (Flos Carthami), Taoren (Semen Persicae), and Danshen (Radix Salviae Miltiorrhizae ) , etc..
3. For shortness of lactation or galactostasis, it is combined with Wangbuliuxing (Semen Vaccariae), Loulu (Radix Rhapontici seu Echinopsis), etc., or stewed with pig feet for oral use.
4. For arthralyia of dampness-heat type, it is usually combined with Qinjiao (Radix Gentianae Macrophyllae), Fangji (Radix Stephaniae Tetrandrae), and Yiyiren (Semen Coicis), etc..

Usage and Dosage:
3 - 6 g is used in decoction for oral use.

Notes:
The dosage of Guanmutong (Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis) is not suitable to be excessive and it is contraindicated in a case with incomplete function of the heart and kidney, and used with caution in pregnant women, since Guanmutong (Caulis Aristolochiae Manshuriensis) contains aristolochine, whose overdosage can result in acute renal failure.v