The herbs under scanner contain Aristolochic acid, a naturally occurring chemical found in some herbs prescribed to treat hepatitis, urinary tract infection, rhinitis, dysmenorrhea and eczema
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Details of the study
Researchers from the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, National Taiwan University (NTU) followed 4,594 patients with urinary tract cancer and compared their medical records with those of 174,701 other people without the condition.
The association between having been prescribed the popular Chinese herb Mu Tong, which naturally contains aristolochic acid, and urinary tract cancer was assessed for all subjects.
The findings of the study
Having been prescribed more than 60 grams of Mu Tong or consumption of 150 milligrams or more of aristolochic acid was associated with an increased risk of urinary tract cancer, researchers found.
Moreover, the increased risk was independent of other risk factors contributing to the development of urinary tract cancer and a higher intake of aristolochic acid was associated with a corresponding increase in the risk of developing urinary tract cancer, researchers highlighted.
Action taken and recommendations
Based on results of earlier studies that found use of aristolochic acid with an increased number of clinical cases of urothelial (bladder) cancer, many countries, including Taiwan, have already banned formulations containing aristolochic acid.
Moreover, researchers also recommend a continued surveillance of Chinese herbs and herbal products. "In addition to a ban on products that contain any amount of aristolochic acid, we also recommend continued surveillance of herbs or Chinese herbal products that might be adulterated with aristolochic-acid-containing herbs" study’s lead author, Jung-Der Wang of the Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, NTU, wrote.
"Finally, patients with a history of aristolochic acid nephropathy or consumption of mu-tong or fangchi before they were banned should be monitored regularly for urinary cancer" Wang added.
The findings feature in the Dec. 21 online issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
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