6/23/2001
FDA Releases Consumer Advisory Warning About Aristolochic Acid
by Ken Ninomiya, DVM, CVA
aava.org web maintenance staff
On April 9, 2001, the FDA released a public advisory warning the public that botanicals containing Aristolochia, Bragantia, or Asarum may contain aristocholic acid. The FDA also lists specific products that were shown to have aristolochic acid during sample testing of 34 products listing Aristolochia spp. or an ingredient that can be inadvertently substituted with Aristolochia spp. The warning was released in light of  information relating to the association of aristocholic acid exposure and urethral cancer in a two patients in France, the identification of two cases of end stage kidney failure in two individuals using botanicals containing aristolochic acid in the United States, and the discovery of aristolochic acid containing botanicals available in the United States.

You may view the list of products tested that had aristocholic acid at  http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-bot3.html .

You may view the FDA advisory at  www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-bot3.html .

Recent product recalls may be found at: 
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2001/NEW00765.html ,  
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/BMK1_01.html ,  
http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/eastearth11_00.html   
and   http://www.fda.gov/oc/po/firmrecalls/vital5_01.html .

 

Related articles:
1. American Association Of Oriental Medicine Calls For Petitioners To Protest FDA Aristolochic Acid Ban Actions