Map showing the prevalence of aristolochic acid-related cancers around the world. Credit: AWT Ng et al. scientific translational medicine (2017)
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Map showing the prevalence of aristolochic acid-related cancers around the world. Credit: AWT Ng et al. scientific translational medicine (2017)
Researchers announced Wednesday that they have found widespread evidence of a link between traditional Chinese medicine and liver cancer across Asia.
The findings suggest stronger measures are needed to prevent ingestion of a chemical called aristolochic acid (AA), the journal says. AA is derived from woody plants of the Aristolochiaceae family. scientific translational medicine.
This acid is included in some herbal medicines given during childbirth to prevent parasites and promote healing.
Researchers examined 98 liver tumors stored in a Taiwanese hospital and found that 78% contained mutation patterns indicating that the cancer was “likely caused by exposure to chemicals.” The research report states that it was found that
Researchers also examined 89 liver cancer samples from China and found that 47 percent showed a link to this traditional medicine ingredient, as these acids cause “distinct mutational signatures.” I discovered that.
In Vietnam, 5 of 26 (19%) tumors examined were concordant, as were 5 of 9 (56%) tumors from other countries in Southeast Asia.
Associations with traditional Chinese medicine were much less common in North America (5% of 209 liver cancer cases investigated) and 1.7% of 230 cases investigated in Europe.
Taiwan banned some herbal medicines using the plant in 2003 after it was discovered that aristolochic acid could cause kidney failure and urinary tract cancer.
However, in China and Taiwan, there is no outright ban, and “only specific plants, not plants or products containing AA or its derivatives, are regulated,” making it difficult for consumers to avoid AA, the report said. Says.
Researchers found that the prevalence of AA-related mutations in liver cancer in Taiwan did not decline after the implementation of the ban.
This may be because it will take longer for the decline in cancer to become noticeable in the data, as was the case with tobacco-related cancers after it became clear that smoking causes lung tumors. be.
Alternatively, people may continue to be exposed to these acids through other products or herbal mixtures that contain them.
For more information:
AWT Ng et al., “Aristolochic acid and its derivatives are widely involved in liver cancer in Taiwan and across Asia.” scientific translational medicine (2017). stm.sciencemag.org/lookup/doi/ … scitranslmed.aan6446
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