Plants amongst wheat in the Balkans found to cause Balkan Endemic Nephropathy (BEN). A chronic renal disease associated with cancer of the upper urinary tract (UUC).Preparations using Aristolochia speces are widely used in Traditional Chinese Medicine. In Taiwan one third of the population uses medicine including Aristolochia and they have a high incidence of UUC.

Grollman, Arthur P. (2011) Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy in Taiwan: Harbinger of a global iatrogenic Disease.J Clin Oncol 29:2011 (suppl: abstr 1592)

Toxicity due to aristolochic acid.

Professor Anthony Dayan, 2021

Banned.

Still found in abbey gardens where formerly used by midwife nuns to speed up labour.

Extracts of Aristolochia brevipes could be useful in treating multi drug resistant TB.

Navarro-Garcia V.M., Luna-herrara J., Rojas-Bribiesca M.G.,Alvarez-Fitz P.,Rios M.Y. Antibacterial Activity of Aristolochia brevipes against Multidrug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis Molecules. 2011; 16(9):7357-7364

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Turkey

Northern America, Southeastern U.S.A., Georgia

Europe, Eastern Europe, Central European Russia

Europe, Eastern Europe, Ukraine

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Albania

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Yugoslavia

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Italy

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Greece

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Romania

Europe, Southwestern Europe, France

Europe, Southwestern Europe, Spain