Yonsei Med J.  2015 Jan;56(1):304-306. 10.3349/ymj.2015.56.1.304.

A Case of Life-Threatening Acute Kidney Injury with Toxic Encephalopathy Caused by Dioscorea quinqueloba

• Kang KS
• Heo ST

• KMID: 2352822
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3349/ymj.2015.56.1.304

Abstract

Some herbal medications induce acute kidney injury. The acute kidney injuries caused by herbal medications are mild and commonly treated by palliative care. A 51-years-old man who drank the juice squeezed from the raw tubers of Dioscorea quinqueloba (D. quinqueloba) was admitted with nausea, vomiting and chilling. He developed a seizure with decreased level of consciousness. He was diagnosed with acute kidney injury, which was cured by continuous venovenous hemodialfiltration. Non-detoxified D. quinqueloba can cause severe acute kidney injury with toxic encephalopathy. It is critical to inform possible adverse effects of the medicinal herbs and to implement more strict regulation of these products.

Keyword

Dioscorea quinqueloba; acute kidney injury; encephalopathy

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury/*chemically induced/*complications
Dioscorea/*adverse effects
Disease Progression
Electroencephalography
Humans
Length of Stay
Male
Middle Aged
Neurotoxicity Syndromes/*complications

Figure

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  Fig. 1 The root of Dioscorea quinqueloba from which the patient prepared juice to drink.

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  Fig. 2 Electroencephalogram showed diffuse continuous slowing (theta or delta range) with maximum appearance at the frontal electrode.

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