[Aristolochic acid nephropathy]

Abstract

Aristolochic acid nephropathy is a chronic, fibrosing, interstitial nephritis caused by aristolochic acid (AA), which is a component of the plants of Aristolochiacae family. It was first reported in 1993, in Belgium as a Chinese herb nephropathy, in patients who received a slimming regimen containing AA. The term aristolochic acid nephropathy also includes Balcan endemic nephropathy and other endemic tubulointerstitial fibrosis. Moreover, AA is a human carcinogen which induces urothelial cancer. The AA-containing herbs are banned in many countries and FDA published the warnings concerning the safety of AA-containing botanical remedies in 2000. Regarding the increasing interest in herbal medicines, uncontrolled access to botanical remedies and replacement of one herb by another AA-containing compounds makes thousands of people all around the world at risk of this grave disease.