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Balkan endemic nephropathy and aristolochic acid I: an investigation into the role of soil and soil organic matter contamination, as a potential natural exposure pathway

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Abstract

Aristolochic acids (AAs) are carcinogenic and nephrotoxic plant alkaloids present in Aristolochia species, used in traditional medicine. Recent biomolecular and environmental studies have incriminated these toxins as an etiological agent in Balkan endemic nephropathy (BEN), a severe kidney disease occurring in the Balkan Peninsula. The questions on how the susceptible populations are exposed to these toxins have not yet been clearly answered. Exposure to AAs through the food chain, and environmental pollution (soil/dust), could provide an explanation for the presence of BEN in the countries where no folkloric use of the plant has been documented (Bulgaria, Croatia). Additional exposure pathways are likely to occur, and we have shown previously that AAs can contaminate crop plants through absorption from soil, under controlled laboratory environment. Here, we attempt to provide additional support to this potential exposure pathway, by revealing the presence of AAI in soil and soil organic matter samples collected from BEN and non-BEN areas. The samples were processed in order to be analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromatography, and ion trap mass spectrometry. Our results showed the presence of AAI in small concentrations, both in BEN and non-BEN soils, especially where Aristolochia plants and seeds were present.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0151. We would also like to thank Anne Bates, from the US Geological Survey (Reston, VA, USA) for the excellent technical support provided in setting up the aristolochic acid detection method by HPLC/MS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. OncoGen Centre, County Hospital “Pius Branzeu”, Blvd. Liviu Rebreanu 156, 300736, Timisoara, Romania

    Alexandra T. Gruia, Camelia Oprean, Alexandra Ivan, Ada Cean, Mirabela Cristea, Lavinia Draghia, Roxana Damiescu, Virgil Paunescu & Calin A. Tatu

  2. Department of Environmental and Food Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania

    Camelia Oprean

  3. Department of Biology and Environmental Health, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania

    Alexandra Ivan & Calin A. Tatu

  4. Department of Immunology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Victor Babes”, Eftimie Murgu Sq. 2, 300041, Timisoara, Romania

    Lavinia Draghia & Virgil Paunescu

  5. Serbian Medical Society, Branch Nis, Nis, Serbia

    Nikola M. Pavlovic

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  1. Alexandra T. Gruia
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  2. Camelia Oprean
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Correspondence to Camelia Oprean.

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Gruia, A.T., Oprean, C., Ivan, A. et al. Balkan endemic nephropathy and aristolochic acid I: an investigation into the role of soil and soil organic matter contamination, as a potential natural exposure pathway. Environ Geochem Health 40, 1437–1448 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-0065-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10653-017-0065-9

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