Nephrotoxicity of Natural Products : Aristolochic Acid and Fungal Toxins

Abstract

The current knowledge on the exposure, toxicokinetics and -dynmics, mechanisms underlying observed adverse effects, their relevance for human disease and current risk assessment of the most important renal toxins, i.e. aristolochic acids (e.g. AA-I), ochratoxins (e.g. OTA), fumonisins (e.g. FB1), citrinin and deoxynivalenol (DON) is reviewed. Although emphasis is laid on the provision of a complete literature overview, only the most important findings were included. It is noteworthy that while there is a plethora of information that has been gained over that last five decades there is still a dearth of knowledge regarding specific aspects of toxicity that remain to be addressed for each of the toxins addressed in this chapter. Of the latter aspects, certainly the absence of simultaneous multi-toxin exposure scenarios in the risk assessment of plant and mycotoxins is the most pressing, as coexposure to these toxins is an everyday reality.