Hong Kong Journal of Nephrology
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Pages 7-14, April 2007

Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy: The Hong Kong Perspective

  • Wing-Tat Poon
  • ,
  • Chi-Kong Lai
  • ,
  • Albert Yan-Wo Chan

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr. Albert Y.W. Chan, Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China. Fax: (+852) 2370-0969

Hospital Authority Toxicology Reference Laboratory, Princess Margaret Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China

Article Outline

Aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) is a progressive tubulointerstitial nephropathy attributed to aristolochic acid (AA) toxicity. Five cases of AAN have been diagnosed in Hong Kong. Most were caused by the inadvertent substitution of innocuous herbs with Aristolochia species. Our findings contributed to the withdrawal of the AA-containing herbs and products in Hong Kong. This paper aims to review the topic of AAN from a Hong Kong perspective.

Key words:  aristolochic acid , Chinese medicine , herbs , nephropathy

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PII: S1561-5413(07)60003-9

doi:10.1016/S1561-5413(07)60003-9

Hong Kong Journal of Nephrology
Volume 9, Issue 1 , Pages 7-14, April 2007