Aristolchia species are used in Chinese herbal medicines
Aristochia species contain aristolchic acids which are genotoxic carcinogens and associated with development of interstitial nephropathy
in 1993 in Belgium, over 70 cases of renal failure were reported when Aristolchia was substituted for Stephania in a herbal slimming medicine (1)
in the UK an emergency ban on the supply and sale of medicinal products containing Aristolchia came into force on 28/7/99 following a Committee on the Safety of Medicines review. This included 2 cases of end-stage renal failure in patients using Chinese herbal medicines (containing Aristolchia) in a Chinese medicine for the treatment of eczema (1)
Reference:
Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance (1999), 25, 18.
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