Fang Ji Rx's and Urological Cancers

[Guest guest]

Uh-oh!

 

 

> >Chinese Herb Linked to Urinary System Cancers

> >

> >Updated 6:03 PM ET June 7, 2000

> >

> >NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eighteen patients in Belgium inadvertently

> >given the Chinese herb Aristolochia fangchi in weight-reducing pills

> >developed cancers of the urinary system, according to a report.

> >

> >These patients had already experienced severe kidney failure as a result

> >of taking a combination of two other Chinese herbs, Stephania tetrandra

> >and Magnolia officinalis, and needed kidney dialysis or kidney

> >transplants, according to Dr. Joelle Nortier from Universite Libre de

> >Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium, and associates.

> >

> >After discovering a urinary system cancer in one of their patients

> >undergoing a transplant, the researchers offered preventive removal of

> >the kidneys and ureters (the tubes connecting the kidneys to the

> >bladder) to 43 other patients being treated for Chinese herb-related

> >kidney disease. Thirty-nine patients accepted the offer.

> >

> >Eighteen cancers were discovered among the 78 ureters and 77 kidneys

> >removed from the 39 patients, the authors report, representing a

> >malignant cancer rate of 46%.

> >

> >In 19 of the 21 patients without cancer, mild to moderate precancerous

> >abnormalities were found in the ureters or kidneys, according to the

> >report in the June 8th issue of The New England Journal of Medicine.

> >

> >All the affected kidneys showed evidence of exposure to aristolochic

> >acid, the harmful ingredient in Aristolochia fangchi, and lower levels

> >were found in some of the ureters.

> >

> >Only four samples contained evidence of exposure to ochratoxin A, a

> >possible carcinogen sometimes found in Stephania tetrandra, the

> >researchers observe.

> >

> >The risk of cancer was greater for patients who had taken more

> >Aristolochia fangchi, the investigators note. Eight of 24 patients who

> >took 200 grams or less had urinary system cancer, compared with 10 of 15

> >patients who took 201 grams of more.

> >

> >Until recently, the outbreak of kidney failure--and now urinary system

> >cancers--appeared to be limited to people in Belgium, the authors note.

> > " Now, other cases have been reported in France, Spain, Japan, the United

> >Kingdom and Taiwan, where cases of urothelial carcinoma (urinary system

> >cancer) have also been detected, "

> >Nortier and colleagues write.

> >

> >When patients develop kidney failure or urinary system cancers, doctors

> >should ask them if they have ever taken Chinese herbs, the researchers

> >conclude.

> > >>

> >

> >

[Guest guest]

Greetings,

 

IN addition to being proactive, it would be important to see all of the

specifics surrounding this article, such as: was the extract or whole herb

used? how long did these patients use them? was there a suspicion of cancer

in these already very ill patients? etc. News articles are typically written

by journalists, not medical personnel, and as such, tend to leave out

important pieces of information. If anyone knows where a better, more

complete source for this article is located, it might be helpful to share it.

Thanks.

for better health,

susan

[Guest guest]

I agree entirely with Z'ev. It seems just as incubent upon on us as

our state and political organizations since Todd has created a highly

successful group who actively and frequently communicates. This group

is probably as large and more varied than any school or political

wing of Chinese medicine. A new type of professional organization

(academy if you will) that could and should formally draft a response.

 

If the political organizations for Chinese medicine have already

drafted this kind of statement paper and are actively working on the

public relations, we could review and endorse an existing one.

 

Part of that statement should always mention our extensive

training and formal education, as well as point out the fact that

when these situations occur it is usually given by someone who is not

trained in acupuncture and herbs. This would help preclude turning

over control of herbs to mainstream medicine who are untrained and

have an agenda antagonistic to herbs.

 

Another, more sensitive, topic would be to always couch these

discussions in the broader context of safety. Western pharaceuticals

kill over 106,000 people a year (according to JAMA), making it about

the 4th leading cause of death in the US. We can reassure the public

that Chinese medicine, when handled by professionals, will not go

down this road. And the fact that this is why herbs became so

necessary and important in the first place.

 

A third issue may be to establish a profession-wide standard

equivalent to the current GMP practice. We should list the

manufacturers and distributors of Chinese medicine that we, as

professionals, trust and who in turn can be trusted by the public.

While it may not be prudent for our political organizations to do

this, Todd has the ability to survey a representative portion of

practitioners who use herbs. It may not be as strong an endorsement

as a political organization, but it can go a long way to help assure

people.

 

The completed statement should be endorsed by state organizations and

our political organizations; then sent out as a press

release. The media should be warned we just don't passively

listen to and accept their oversimplified version of this issue.

 

If any of the state or political organizations have already

undertaken this task, they should post their efforts to this group.

We need not duplicate an effort already in progress.

 

I'm not a political animal so I would like to hear other opinions.

 

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, " "

<zrosenberg@p...> wrote:

>

>

> I think we need to draft a statement for the profession, act now

before we

> have real trouble. We can start by drafting a statement for the

Chinese

> Herb Academy, on the need to have herbal medicines regulated by the

> profession, and supporting inclusion of herbal medicines from China

in

> state licensing.

>

>

>

>

>

>

> >Uh-oh!

> >

> >

> >> >Chinese Herb Linked to Urinary System Cancers

> >> >

> >> >Updated 6:03 PM ET June 7, 2000

> >> >

> >> >NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Eighteen patients in Belgium

inadvertently

> >> >given the Chinese herb Aristolochia fangchi in weight-reducing

pills

> >> >developed cancers of the urinary system, according to a report.

> >> >

> >> >These patients had already experienced severe kidney failure as

a result

> >> >of taking a combination of two other Chinese herbs, Stephania

tetrandra

> >> >and Magnolia officinalis, and needed kidney dialysis or kidney

> >> >transplants, according to Dr. Joelle Nortier from Universite

Libre de

> >> >Bruxelles in Brussels, Belgium, and associates.

> >> >

> >> >After discovering a urinary system cancer in one of their

patients

> >> >undergoing a transplant, the researchers offered preventive

removal of

> >> >the kidneys and ureters (the tubes connecting the kidneys to the

> >> >bladder) to 43 other patients being treated for Chinese herb-

related

> >> >kidney disease. Thirty-nine patients accepted the offer.

> >> >

> >> >Eighteen cancers were discovered among the 78 ureters and 77

kidneys

> >> >removed from the 39 patients, the authors report, representing a

> >> >malignant cancer rate of 46%.

> >> >

> >> >In 19 of the 21 patients without cancer, mild to moderate

precancerous

> >> >abnormalities were found in the ureters or kidneys, according

to the

> >> >report in the June 8th issue of The New England Journal of

Medicine.

> >> >

> >> >All the affected kidneys showed evidence of exposure to

aristolochic

> >> >acid, the harmful ingredient in Aristolochia fangchi, and lower

levels

> >> >were found in some of the ureters.

> >> >

> >> >Only four samples contained evidence of exposure to ochratoxin

A, a

> >> >possible carcinogen sometimes found in Stephania tetrandra, the

> >> >researchers observe.

> >> >

> >> >The risk of cancer was greater for patients who had taken more

> >> >Aristolochia fangchi, the investigators note. Eight of 24

patients who

> >> >took 200 grams or less had urinary system cancer, compared with

10 of 15

> >> >patients who took 201 grams of more.

> >> >

> >> >Until recently, the outbreak of kidney failure--and now urinary

system

> >> >cancers--appeared to be limited to people in Belgium, the

authors note.

> >> > " Now, other cases have been reported in France, Spain, Japan,

the United

> >> >Kingdom and Taiwan, where cases of urothelial carcinoma

(urinary system

> >> >cancer) have also been detected, "

> >> >Nortier and colleagues write.

> >> >

> >> >When patients develop kidney failure or urinary system cancers,

doctors

> >> >should ask them if they have ever taken Chinese herbs, the

researchers

> >> >conclude.

> >> > >>

> >> >

> >> >

> >

> >

> >-

-----

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-----

> >

> >Chronic Diseases Heal - Chinese Herbs Can Help