Dysfunctional uterine bleeding treated with TCM clematis vine

What is clematis vine(Chuan Mu Tong)? There are a number of clematis vine varieties but medicinally it refers to the dried stems of Clematis armandii Franch. or Clematis montana Buch.-Ham. Both of them are the member of family Ranunculaceae. It is usually harvested during spring and autumn. In addition, it needs to remove the raw bark, dry in the sun, or slice the fresh vines before drying. By the way, clematis grows from seed or from cuttings.

Clematis montana is a perennial woody climbing plant, usually up to 8 meters in height. Stems are cylindrical and with longitudinal stripes; branchlets are pubescent and later become glabrescent when; the skin of old stems is peel off. Leaves are opposite or a few of them cluster with flower; petiole is 5 to 6cm; ternately compound leaf is ovate, broadly ovate or elliptic, 3-lobed, 2 to 7cm long, 1 to 5cm wide, and with acute or acuminate apex and serrated edge. Flowers are apetalous, bisexual, and 3 to 5cm in diameter and 1 to 6 of them cluster with leaves; sepals are 4, outstretched, oblong-obovate or obovate, 1.5 to 2.5cm long, 0.8 to 1.5cm wide; stamens are numerous, about 1cm long, and glabrous; carpel is many. Achene is flat, oval or oblong, 4 to 6mm long, glabrous, and with about 2.2cm feathery persistent style. Bloom time is from April to June and fruit time is from July to September.

Clematis armandii is a perennial woody vine, up to 6 meters. Stem is cylindrical and with longitudinal stripes. Carinal twigs are initially covered with short white pubescence and later grow out of it. Leaves are opposite; petiole is 5 to 7.5cm in length; ternately compound leaf is leathery, ovate or lanceolate, 4 to 16cm long, 2 to 8cm wide, and with acuminate apex, rounded or cordate base, and entire margin. Panicles are axillary and apical. Each section has a pair of small bracts. base is enclosed by rectangular scales; clematis vine flower is about 3cm in diameter; petal-like calyx is 4, white, rectangular or oblong-obovate, and with obtuse apex; petal is absent; stamens are many and about 5mm long; pistil is many and about 3mm long. Ovary and style are with upward hair. Achene is flat oval, 3mm long, with feathery hair and up-to-5cm persistent style.

Clematis vine health benefits
Medicinally clematis and aristolochia manshuriensis are known for their excellent ability on inducing diuresis. That is the exact reason why the latter was heavily adulterated into some diet pills, which thus planted the seeds for the future tragedy. Now we already know that aristolochia plants contain a toxic ingredient called aristolochic acid, which causes human kidney damage or even death in long-term uses. Unlike aristolochia manshuriensis, clematis belongs to Ranunculaceae. That is to say, this herb has the same healing power but without the above-mentioned side effects. As a matter of fact, clematis and akebia quinata are taking over and becoming the substitute in all aristolochia manshuriensis based formulas for the treatment of a variety of diseases, such as Edema, Stranguria, Amenorrhea, arthralgia, oral ulcers, dysfunctional uterine bleeding, excessive vaginal discharge, urinary tract infections, Genital Warts, etc.