Birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis) is a perennial herb with a long, creeping rhizomes found in the warmer parts, especially in woods and at the edges of fields. It has tall, erect, leafy, unbranched stem with alternate, pale, green leaves.
The plant is poisonous and possesses a disagreeable smell. It contains arist-olochic acid, an essential oil, tannins, flavonoid pigments and the alkaloid aristolochine. Birthwort is used in vascular diseases and thromboisis, and to promote menstrual flow. The roots are used in places bitten by snake, poisonous insects and scorpion.
