TEXTO:
Scientists say that a common ingredient found in
Chinese herbal medicine is responsible for the very high
incidence of some cancers and kidney disease in
Taiwan. For thousands of years the aristolochia plant
[5] with its reddish-yellow flowers has been a mainstay of
Chinese herbal medicine. Sometimes referred to as
birthwort in Europe, the toxic nature of the plant was
discovered in the 1990s when dozens of Belgian women
began developing kidney failure and urinary tract cancers.
[10] They had been using aristolochia-based slimming aids
at clinic.
Now scientists say that the key element,
aristolochic acid, is responsible for the very high levels
of kidney disease and urinary tract tumors in Taiwan.
[15] It’s estimated that about one in three of the population
there have used herbal medicines containing the toxin.
The country has the world’s highest incidence of cancers
of the upper urinary tract - and in their study the scientists
say more than half can be directly linked to the ingredient.
[20] While products containing aristolochic acid are
banned in many countries, one of the big concerns is
China. In 2004 a study suggests Chinese farmers
produce enough of the plant to dose 100 million people.
Scientists are concerned, that in the decades to come,
[25] disease caused by the aristolochia will create an
international public health problem of considerable
magnitude.
Disponível em: <www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/language/wordsinthenews/2012/04/120412witnherbalmedicine.shtml>. Acesso em: 12 out. 2013.
The Belgian women mentioned in the text were using aristolochia to
