Nephrotoxicity of Aristolochia Plants—November 16, 2001

Nephrotoxicity of Aristolochia Plants—November 16, 2001

In 1993, Belgian scholars first reported that plants containing aristolochic acid, such as Fangji and Mutong, could cause interstitial nephropathy, attracting worldwide attention. Research in China has also confirmed this effect. There are three sources of Mutong commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine: ① White Mutong, a plant in the Aristolochiaceae family; ② Guan Mutong, a plant in the Aristolochiaceae family; ③ Small Mutong, a plant in the Ranunculaceae family.

There are two sources of Fangji commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine: ① Han Fangji, a plant in the Menispermaceae family; ② Mu Fangji, a plant in the Aristolochiaceae family, also known as Guang Fangji.

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The Chinese medicinal herb Aristolochia is the fruit of Aristolochia, a perennial climbing or prostrate plant belonging to the Aristolochiaceae family. This herb has a bitter and cold nature, with effects of purging, clearing the lungs, relieving cough, and transforming phlegm. The Brussels Kidney Disease Center in Belgium discovered two young women who developed interstitial kidney disease after taking weight-loss drugs containing aristolochic acid. Subsequent repeated analyses confirmed that aristolochic acid contained in aristolochia was the causative agent of interstitial nephritis. Similar reports have also been made by Yuichi Tanaka in Japan.