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How did the shape of a flower cause the death of women?

By Chelsie Vandaveer

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January 10, 2002

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The birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis Linnaeus) is a vine with odd yellow flowers. The birthworts were named under the Doctrine of Signatures. It was once believed the outward appearance of a plant signaled that the plant possessed special properties to be used medicinally. Birthwort received the reputation of being good for women. (See Weird Plants, August 2, 2001)

Aristolochia Clematitis Birthwort
Karl Blossfeldt
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The odd curved tube of the birthwort flower was thought to resemble the birth canal. John Gerard in The Herbal (1633) wrote, "Birthwoort is...good for women newly brought abed, or delivered with childe. [I]t expelleth whatever is left after the childe is delivered, the flowers also and dead children." Midwives used this plant to aid in the expulsion of the placenta and 'help' the mother recover from childbirth.

Basically, the midwives were poisoning the mothers with aristolochic acid. Aristolochic acid causes severe vomiting, cramps, and muscle spasms. It is a nephrotoxin, a little too much birthwort and the mother suffered kidney failure and death.

Aristolochic acid is also a mutagen causing permanent changes to the body's cells. And, perhaps, the reason women were delivering dead children as mentioned by Gerard. Although, not fully understood, aristolochic acid probably alters the DNA interfering with the functioning of the cells.

As late as the 1800s, the old idea held and women continued to receive this 'medication'. William Cook in The Physiomedical Dispensatory (1869) wrote of the birthwort, "The cold infusion will usually act with vigor upon the kidneys....But it very especially influences the uterus." So much for legend of dying in childbirth!

Den virtuella floran of the Swedish Museum of Natural History has a photograph of Aristolochia clematitis. To view the photograph, click on the link:

http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/di/aristolochia/arist/ariscle1.jpg

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