title: Astragalus membranaceus as a cause of increased CA19-9 and liver and kidney cysts: a case report.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Astragalus membranaceus, one of the most common Chinese herbs, is widely used to prevent and treat a variety of diseases. Very few adverse reactions, caused by A. membranaceus, have been reported in the literature. The purpose of this article was to report a case of marked increase in carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) and the formation of liver and kidney cysts following oral administration of A. membranaceus.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 38-year-old woman was found to have a high serum CA19-9 level (156 U/mL) at her routine annual examination. On follow-up, several small cysts were found in her left kidney and liver by CT scan. Her medical history showed that she had taken Astragalus tea every day for 1 month. One month after she stopped taking it, the CA19-9 level decreased to 40·19 U/mL. Ten months later, PET-CT showed that there were no liver and kidney cysts. However, she took Astragalus powder again in the second year and 1 month later her CA19-9 level increased again to more than 1000 U/mL. Several small cysts were again seen in her left kidney and liver by enhanced CT. Her CA19-9 level gradually became normal after she stopped taking the Astragalus powder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case strongly suggests that oral administration of A. membranaceus may lead to increase in CA19-9 and the formation of liver and kidney cysts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Jiading Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D027883:Astragalus Plant; D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen / Q000097:blood*; D003560:Cysts / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D008517:Phytotherapy
chemical_list: D018395:CA-19-9 Antigen; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal
keywords: Astragalus membranaceus; adverse effect; carbohydrate antigen 19-9