A renal tuberculosis case: could Chinese medicine play a role?
METHODS
A case of renal tuberculosis (TB) was treated with a multidrug therapeutic regimen (rifampicin 600 mg/day, ethambutol 800 mg/day, and isoniazid 150 mg/day), which was terminated for severe hepatotoxicity 2 months later. As an alternative therapeutic method, the patient was orally administered a Chinese herbal concoction while liver transaminases resumed normal levels.


RESULTS
After 1 year of treatment, the patient recovered completely; pyuria and hematuria disappeared with negative acid-fast bacteria urine culture. The patient has been followed up for 2 years without recurrence.


CONCLUSIONS
The case indicated that these Chinese herbs are useful in treating renal TB. Chinese medicine has allowed us another choice of antituberculous treatment, avoiding the hepatotoxicity of the standard therapeutic regimen. Therefore, the use of Chinese herbs has the potential of reducing the morbidity and mortality rate of this disease.
Tong
YanQing
Y
Department of Nephrology, Jilin Chinese Medical Hospital, Changchun City, Jilin Province, People's Republic of China. tyq1229@yahoo.com.cn
Jia
QingMei
Q
Sun
Ye
Y
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006417:Hematuria / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011776:Pyuria / Q000188:drug therapy; D014398:Tuberculosis, Renal / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal