Toxicity of the Chinese Herb Mu Tong ( Aristolochia manshuriensis )
- PDF / 207,066 Bytes
- 7 Pages / 504 x 720 pts Page_size
- 115 Downloads / 186 Views
Adv Drug React Toxicol Rev 2002; 21 (4): 171-177 0964-198X/02/0004-0171/$25.00/0 © Adis International Limited. All rights reserved.
Toxicity of the Chinese Herb Mu Tong (Aristolochia manshuriensis) What History Tells Us You-Ping Zhu Hwa To Centre for Chinese Medicine, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
Contents Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1. The Original Record of Mu Tong in Chinese Herbal Classics 2. Multiple Sources of Mu Tong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3. Toxicity of Mu Tong . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Abstract
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
. . . . .
171 172 174 175 177
Plant sources of some traditional Chinese herbs may have changed over time. History records of herbal toxicity should be viewed critically when different plants might have been used under the same name in earlier eras. The current main source of the Chinese herb Mu Tong is Aristolochia manshuriensis. Examination of classical Chinese herbal literature revealed that until the mid 17th century the original source plants of Mu Tong had been several Akebia species. From the 17th century until the early 20th century Clematis species were the main source of Mu Tong. A. manshuriensis has only been widely used since the 1950s. Renal failure due to ingestion of large doses of A. manshuriensis has been reported in China and other countries while no such toxicity has been recorded in traditional Chinese herbal texts. Documentation of traditional Chinese herbal literature should help to ensure the safe use of Chinese herbs.
Alternative and complementary medicine, including Chinese herbal medicine, is increasingly popular in western countries. One of the main attractions of these therapies is the lack of adverse effects compared with drug therapies in allopathic medicine. The safety of herbs used in Chinese herbal medicine has generally been established by their empirical use over many centuries; however, occasional toxic reactions do occur. Cases of renal intoxication associated with Chinese herbs of Aristolo-
chia origin have been reported in Belgium,[1] France,[2] Japan,[3-5] UK,[6] Germany[7] as well as in China.[8-13] These reports cause concern over the safety of Chinese herbal medicine. Chinese herbal medicine has long appreciated the problem of herbal safety. In the very beginning of Chinese herbal medicine practice, herbs were classified based on safety considerations. ‘Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing’ (circa 220 AD), the first Chinese herbal classic published nearly 2000 years ago, divided
172
herbs into three categories: superior, middle and inferior. The superior herbs have no toxicity and can be taken frequently over a long period of time without harm. The middle or mediocre substances can “retar
Data Loading...
