Aristolochia longa is a medicinal plant used in traditional Mediterranean
pharmacopeia to treat different diseases. It shows significant anti-inflammatory,
antidiabetic, antioxidant, antibacterial, and antitumoral pharmacological effects. The
extracts of this plant are rich in bioactive molecules belonging to different chemical
families such as limonene, aristolochic acid, β-caryophyllene, and deenax. However,
excessive use of this plant causes severe toxicity to the user. The aim of the present
review is to give particular emphasis on the most recent findings on biological effects
of the major groups of Aristolochia longa components, their therapeutic use, and the
active ingredient responsible for the toxicity of this plant, which constitutes a public
health problem observed with it’s wide use in cancer patients.
Keywords: Aristolochia longa, Anticancer, Antibacterial, Anti-inflammatory,
Phytochemical, Toxicity.
