This article demonstrates that
caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis has guite a long history of application as a medicinal
material and specially clinical effectiveness in accordance with the characteristics of its medicinal part (stem) and with the result of comparing various descriptions of major ancient and current medical literatures as well as in combination with several surveys of it as a commodity in the last hundred years and with its practical application in Japan.
Caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis (stem) has a diameter of 9cm with clear rays and big and close vessels arranged in radiation (in the form of spokes in a wheel) , conforming to such characteristics of "its biggest ones having a diameter of three inches" and "its stem having pinholes open from one end to the other" as described repeatedly by medical doctors in the history of China. It has been produced largely as a commodity in modern times and exported to Japan and many other countries in Asia, being widely used in the clinical treatment of TCM, traditional Xizang medicine and Chinese prescription medicine in Japan. As for the plants of Akebia spp. and its like, their main stem is about lem of diameter and the diameter of their branching stems is much thinner with unclear rays and few and very fine vessels arranged irregularly in their section so that neither the "pinholes" and the composition of "wheel-spoke" can be seen by eyes nor " air can go through the pinholes" , and therefore they are not caulis aristolochiae
Manshuriensis which has been applied as medicine by medical doctors in the history of the country. Owing to its deficient basis of Chinese materia medica and lack of clinic foundation Akebia cannot be hastily used to replace caulis aristolochiae manshuriensis, which bas been listed in the 1977, 1985, 1990 and 2000 editions of "Chinese Pharmacopoeia".