Volume 174, 4 November 2015, Pages 178–186
Abstract
Ethnopharmacological
relevance: in the 1990s, a Belgian cohort of more than 100 patients
reported cases of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy (AAN). This progressive
renal and interstitial fibrosis, frequently associated with urothelial
malignancies, was consecutive to the Chinese-herbs based slimming
capsules intake where a plant Stephania tetrandra S. Moore was replaced
by a highly genotoxic Aristolochia species. 70% of the Belgian patients
evolved into end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis or renal
transplantation. Furthermore the prevalence of upper urinary tract
carcinoma was found alarmingly high in these patients. The Aristolochia
adulteration was blamed for the intoxication cases and, to the best of
our knowledge, the prescription itself has not been further
investigated.
Aim of the study
This work proposes to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Aristolochia and Magnolia traditional aqueous decoctions and their association.
Materials and methods
The
cytotoxicity of extracts has been assessed by a MTT cell proliferation
assay and the genotoxicity by measuring the presence of γ-H2AX, a
phosphorylated histone associated with DNA damages.
Results
Treating cells for 24 h with a mixture 1:1 of Magnolia officinalis and Aristolochia baetica decoctions led to an increase in the production of γ-H2AX.
Conclusions
This
genotoxic potentiation warrants further studies but may lead to an
explanatory factor for the “Chinese herb nephropathy” cases.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Aristolochic acid nephropathy;
- Aristolochia species;
- Magnolia species;
- Genotoxicity;
- γ-H2AX detection
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
