Herbal Medicine Ingredient Alert
Nov
14
Written by:
11/14/2011
In 2000 the FDA first warned consumers against the use of aristolochic acid, an ingredient found in dietary supplements primarily used in traditional Chinese Medicine. On October 12, 2011, the FDA issued another warning to consumers because of links betweeen aristocholic acid and kidney diseases, including bladder cancer.
Used since ancient time, herbs of the Aristolochia species and other members of the Aristolochiaceae family contain Aristolochic acid. Used in small amounts the herb does not cause problems. However, when used long-term and in high doses, use of aristolochic acid can damage the kidneys, causing liver failure, and lead to cancer of the upper urinary tract. which, in small amounts, could be used for years without any apparent adverse events.
The new warning comes in light of a recent article published by Dr. Arthur Grollman MD, a professor at Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Dr. Grollman has studied patients in Croatia, Bosnia and Serbia who have an unusual kidney disease known as Balkan endemic nephropathy, which is characterized by progressive kidney failure, often associated with the development of urothelial cell carcinoma (UUC), a type of bladder cancer. Without early treatment, it can spread to nearby organs and other parts of the body.
Evidence suggests that the patients were exposed to toxic aristolochic acid from wheat grown locally. Aristolochia clematitis is also popularly known as “birthwort” and was baked into bread.
In addition, several outbreaks of renal failure in recent years have been attributed to the use of Chinese herbal medicines contaminated with aristolochic acid. Contamination occurred because the herb was either mid-identified or confused with herbs having a similar sounding name.
Botanicals Known or Suspected of Containing Aristolochic Acid
Products with ingredients listed as
- aristolochia
- asarum
- bragantia
The products
- Rheumixx (PharmaBotanixx)
- BioSlim Doctor’s Natural Weight Loss System Slim Tone Formula (Thane International)
- Prostatin (Herbal Doctor Remedies)
The following Chinese Medicines
- Dang Gui Si Ni
- Du Hou Ji Sheng Tang
- Chuam Xiong Cha Tiao Wan
- Aristolochia
- Guan mu tong
- Guang mu tong
For a complete list of ingredients containing aristolochic acid, see the FDA alert. When trying any new herbal product check for warnings at the FDA and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) division of the NIH.