Family

Aristolochiaceae

Genus

Asarum

Common Name

Hua Xi Xin

Plant Figure

Description

Asarum sieboldii (named Hua Xixin in Chinese) belongs to the Aristolochiaceae family and is a renowned traditional Chinese medicinal (TCM) herb that grows primarily in the Qinling-Bashan mountain region in central and eastern China. The roots of A. sieboldii are commonly used for the treatment of cough, toothache, headache, inflammation, and cancer in Asian nations. A. sieboldii has numerous pharmacological properties including anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic, antitussive, anti-fungi, and antihyperlipidemic trait, which are attributed to the many active ingredients in A. sieboldii, including essential oils (i.e., methyleugenol, kakuol, elemicin, safrole, asaricin, limonen, eucarvone), acid amides, and lignans (especially asarinin and sesamin).