In vitro genotoxicity tests point to an unexpected and harmful effect of a Magnolia and Aristolochia association.
BACKGROUND
in the 1990s, a Belgian cohort of more than 100 patients reported cases of Aristolochic Acid Nephropathy (AAN). This progressive renal and interstitial fibrosis, frequently associated with urothelial malignancies, was consecutive to the Chinese-herbs based slimming capsules intake where a plant Stephania tetrandra S. Moore was replaced by a highly genotoxic Aristolochia species. 70% of the Belgian patients evolved into end-stage renal disease, requiring dialysis or renal transplantation. Furthermore the prevalence of upper urinary tract carcinoma was found alarmingly high in these patients. The Aristolochia adulteration was blamed for the intoxication cases and, to the best of our knowledge, the prescription itself has not been further investigated.


OBJECTIVE
This work proposes to evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of Aristolochia and Magnolia traditional aqueous decoctions and their association.


METHODS
The cytotoxicity of extracts has been assessed by a MTT cell proliferation assay and the genotoxicity by measuring the presence of γ-H2AX, a phosphorylated histone associated with DNA damages.


RESULTS
Treating cells for 24h with a mixture 1:1 of Magnolia officinalis and Aristolochia baetica decoctions led to an increase in the production of γ-H2AX.


CONCLUSIONS
This genotoxic potentiation warrants further studies but may lead to an explanatory factor for the "Chinese herb nephropathy" cases.
Laboratory of Therapeutic Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons - UMONS, 20 Place du Paarc, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Amandine
A
Nachtergael
Laboratory of Therapeutic Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons - UMONS, 20 Place du Paarc, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Mélanie
M
Poivre
Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons - UMONS, 20 Place du Parc, 7000 Mons, Belgium.
Alexandra
A
Belayew
Laboratory of Therapeutic Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, Research Institute for Health Sciences and Technology, University of Mons - UMONS, 20 Place du Paarc, 7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: pierre.duez@umons.ac.be.
Pierre
P
Duez
D030022:Aristolochia; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D031566:Magnolia; D009152:Mutagenicity Tests / Q000379:methods; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*
D010936:Plant Extracts
Aristolochia species; Aristolochic acid nephropathy; Genotoxicity; Magnolia species; γ-H2AX detection