Aristolochic acid-related nephropathy associated with the popular Chinese herb Xi Xin

Yang, Huang-Yu
Lin, Ja-Liang
Chen, Kuan-Hsing
Yu, Chun-Chen
Hsu, Po-Yaur
Lin, Chun-Liang

¹Department of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei - Taiwan
²Division of Nephrology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi - Taiwan

Address for correspondence:

Chun-Liang Lin, M.D. Division of Nephrology Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital 6 West, Chia-pu Road Pu-tzu City, Chiayi, Taiwan[email protected]

Received: April 05, 2005 Revised: October 19, 2005 Accepted: November 05, 2005

Journal of Nephrology 19(1):p 111-114, January-February 2006.

ABSTRACT:

Chinese herbs nephropathy is known as a subacute interstitial nephritis attributed to aristolochic acid. This work describes the case of a 49-year-old male who displayed subacute renal failure induced by ingestion of herbal powder containing Xi Xin, which includes aristolochic acid. Since Xi Xin is a common ingredient in traditional formulae, care needs to be taken in the future to identify the aristolochic acid concentration of different components of Xi Xin. Xi Xin containing aristolochic acid should be forbidden for use in remedies in order to prevent the harmful effects of aristolochic acid.