Is aristolochic acid really the cause of the Balkan endemic nephropathy?
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Mantle, PG
Herman, D
Tatu, C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In recent years, aristolochic
acid has been promoted vigorously as the causal agent of the
Balkan endemic nephropathy because of similarities to some other nephropathies,
association with DNA adducts and a perception of human exposure
via
bread. Critical
evaluation of the literature e
xposes flaws in these aspects, and there has been consistent
failure of experimental toxicology to mimic either the slow silent bilateral atrophy of the
Balkan disease or the transitional cell carcinomas in the upper urothelium. It seems yet
premature to p
romote the curious Balkan disease as aristolochic acid nephropathy without
the epidemiological rigour necessary in biomedical research.
acid has been promoted vigorously as the causal agent of the
Balkan endemic nephropathy because of similarities to some other nephropathies,
association with DNA adducts and a perception of human exposure
via
bread. Critical
evaluation of the literature e
xposes flaws in these aspects, and there has been consistent
failure of experimental toxicology to mimic either the slow silent bilateral atrophy of the
Balkan disease or the transitional cell carcinomas in the upper urothelium. It seems yet
premature to p
romote the curious Balkan disease as aristolochic acid nephropathy without
the epidemiological rigour necessary in biomedical research.
Date Issued
2016-03-23
Date Acceptance
2016-03-16
Citation
Journal of Controversies in Biomedical Research, 2016, 2 (1), pp.9-20
ISSN
2205-5975
Publisher
Codon Publications
Start Page
9
End Page
20
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Controversies in Biomedical Research
Volume
2
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2016 Peter George Mantle, Diana Herman, Calin Tatu. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2016-03-29