Blood-dissipating potato is a medicinal vine plant mainly distributed in southern China.

Blood-dissipating potato is a perennial herbaceous vine of the genus Stephania in the family Menispermaceae, mainly distributed in the valleys, under forest, beside streams and in thickets of southern China. Its underground tuber is thick and fleshy, storing abundant nutrients, and it is also the main part used traditionally, so it has long attracted attention among the people in its producing areas.

In appearance, the leaves of blood-dissipating potato are peltate, nearly round or broadly triangular, with the slender petiole emerging from the center of the leaf's underside, like holding up one small umbrella after another. The vines twine and climb over shrubs and rocks, producing tiny flowers, and the drupes they bear are bright in color when ripe, hanging on the vine quite attractively.

In traditional Chinese medicine, blood-dissipating potato uses the tuber as medicine; it is bitter in taste and cold in nature, and is generally considered to have the effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, and dispersing blood stasis and relieving pain, and is often used as supportive care for sore and swollen throat, stomach pain, bruises and injuries, and similar conditions. Modern research has also found that its tuber contains a variety of alkaloid components, making it a type of medicinal plant resource with considerable development potential.

When cultivating blood-dissipating potato at home, it is advisable to choose loose, breathable, well-drained sandy loam soil, and place it in a warm, humid environment with scattered light, avoiding waterlogging and scorching sun; the tuber can grow well whether shallowly buried or half exposed above the soil surface. It should be noted that plants of the genus Stephania are similar in appearance and easily confused, and the plants contain alkaloids, so improper use may cause discomfort; whether for medicinal or edible use, you should first consult a professional, and never dig and take them on your own.