Abstract:Objective: To investigate the possibility of selectively detoxifying aristolochic acids in Aristolochiae manshuriensis (Guan-mutong) by the chemical properties of aristolochic acids and traditional Chinese processing experience. Metbod: The technical parameters in processing technique of A. numshuriensis were optimized by orthogonal designed methods with aristolochic acid A. Result: The processing technique was soaked in 0.1 mol·L-1 baking soda for several times and then processing with vinegar. Temperature was important factor to detoxify aristolochic acids, aristolochic acid A were removed over 90% from A. manshuriensis in laboratory and over 80% in medium-scale production by 10 batches from two origins of botanical drugs with different contents, and decreased to 0.35-0.60 mg·g-1 in processed products, aristolochic acid A existed mostly salt-forms in the botanical drug. Conclusion: Most toxic components in Guanmutong could be removed by the new processing method.