In a recent medical breakthrough, a team of scientists have made a significant achievement in the understanding the cancer-promoting action of Aristolochic Acid (AA), a natural product of Aristolochia plants, which are used in some Asian herbal products as a traditional remedy for weight loss and slimming.
The team from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School Singapore, and Taiwan's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, LinKou, led by Professors Teh Bin Tean, See-Tong Pang, Patrick Tan and Steve Rozen used advance DNA sequencing and discovered that AA is the most potent carcinogen identified to date, that results in more DNA mutations than cigarette smoke or ultraviolent light.
Scientists also discovered that besides its earlier known contribution to kidney failure and a form of kidney cancer, AA may also contribute to liver cancer.
They identified a "genetic fingerprint" of AA exposure that may provide insight to new approaches to detect AA presence in humans and the environment.
Aristolochic Acid (AA) is a natural compound found in a plant called Aristolochia, which are conventionally used in traditional herbal preparations for various health problems like weight-loss, menstrual symptoms and rheumatism.
However, it was officially banned in Europe and North America since 2001 and in Asia since 2003, its long-term impact is still being felt as patients with associated kidney failure and cancer are still being diagnosed, especially in Taiwan.
Moreover, certain AA-containing products are still in use under supervision and products containing AA are still easily available worldwide, including over the internet.
The powerful cancer-promoting activity of AA strongly recommends efforts to restrict the use of AA containing products, including health supplements.
"We would like to call for greater public awareness on the adverse health effects of AA. It is therefore important to know the contents of herbal products before one consumes them," Prof Pang said.
The findings are published online in Science Translational Medicine.
-With inputs from ANI
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