木通為常用中藥之一，始載於《神農本草經》，列為草部中品。具有清火、通竅、利尿、消炎之功效。由於中國大陸幅員廣大，因地域之不同，有多種木通之藥材供為藥用。其來源有使用木通科(Lardizabalaceae)之木通屬(Akebia sp.)植物，馬兜鈴科(Aristolochiaceae)之馬兜鈴屬(Aristolochia sp.)植物及毛茛科(Ranunculaceae)之鐵線蓮屬(Clematis sp.)植物等之莖。其來源頗為混淆，有鑑於此，本研究為了解台灣對於木通類藥材之使用情形，由生藥組織學之鑑別及理化鑑別方法予以探討。以採逢機取樣方式從大台北地區793 家中藥商隨機價購25 件及中、南部價購25 件，共計木通檢體50 件。並與關木通、川木通、台灣木通、日本木通等四種對照藥材比對。由文獻之比對並以性狀特徵、組織鏡檢、理化法鑑定其基原。由調查木通檢體50 件中，經確認有42 件為關木通(Aristolochia manshuriensis Komarov)，8 件為川木通(Clematisgouriana Roxb. ex DC.)。在市售品中未發現使用木通科植物木通，由此顯示混用之情形頗為嚴重且目前市售之關木通基原為馬兜鈴屬植物，含有馬兜鈴酸(Aristolochic acid)，據行政院衛生署公告，長期連續使用可能會造成腎衰竭之副作用，宜應導正使用正確藥材。

The sources of Mutong crude drugs are mainly the stems of Akebia quinata Decaisne of the Latdizabalaceae family, Aistolochia manshuriensis Komarov of the Aristolochiaceae family, and other closely related plants. In this study, we purchased fifty Mutong samples from Chinese herbal stores in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung area, and collected Akebia quinata Decaisne, Akebia longeracemosa Matsum, Aistolochia manshuriensis Komarov and Clematis gouriana Roxb. ex DC, as the authentic materials. Samples were identified by morphology and microseopy.The results showed that forty-two samples were Aistolochia manshuriensis Komarov and eight were Clematis gouriana Roxb ex DC