Chemical and physiological studies on Aristolochia petersiana klotz

The plant ' ntutula ' ( AristolochIa petersiana klotz) native to Zambia has been used in Zambian folk-lore medicine as an abortifacient. This work presents the Physiological and Chemical studies on this plant.Preliminary experiments confirmed the abortifacient activity of A petersiana klotz in both pregnant white albino rats and tired preqnant Swiss Webster mice (CDl). The plant was also shown to regulate fertility in female white albino rats and to stimulate Isolated rat uterus. In subsequent work, the plant was screened for biologically active compounds. An unknown ninhydrin reactive material; suspected to be the active compound was detected o Aristolochic acid was detected and characterised for the first time in this species of the A ristolochiaceae