A Chinese herbal medicine 'closely linked' to liver cancer in Asia

Aristolochic acid from the genus Artemisia has been found in hundreds of liver cancer samples tested in Asia.

Traditional Chinese medicine is widely used in Asia but is "closely linked" to liver cancer because it containsaaristolochic acid, Channel News Asia quoted scientists from Singapore and Taiwan on October 19.

On the sheetScience Translational Medicine, the authors said.aAristolochic acid is found in woody plants of the genus Aristolochia.(aristolochia), used as a parasitic preventative and to promote healing during childbirth.

To determine the relationship between aIn a study of aristolochic acid in liver cancer, scientists examined hundreds of tumor samples and found that 78% of 98 specimens in Taiwan showed typical mutations, indicating a high likelihood of exposure to the chemical.In China, this rate was 47% in 89 liver tumor samples.

In Vietnam, out of 26 tumor samples tested, 19% had traces of acid.aristolochic. Fifty-six percent of nine other tumors from Southeast Asia fell into the same category.

Traditional Chinese medicine is sold in Guangxi (China). Photo: AFP.

In contrast to Asia, only 5% of 209 liver cancer samples in the US and 1.7% of 230 liver cancer samples in Europe were acidic.aristolochic. The reason is that traditional Chinese medicine is less popular in the West. The authors concluded that exposure toaAristolochic acid from traditional Chinese medicine appears to increase the risk of liver cancer in Asia.

This is not the first time scientists have warned about acid.Aristolochic acid is harmful to the body. Previously, some studies showed that this substance causes kidney failure and urinary tract cancer.

In 2003, Taiwan banned some products using magnolia bark, but did not enforce it thoroughly.making it difficult for people to recognize and avoid using.

According to VNE