Abstract

Chaga mushrooms have been used in folk and botanical medicine as a remedy for cancer, gastritis, ulcers, and tuberculosis of the bones. A 72-year-old Japanese female had been diagnosed with liver cancer 1 year prior to presenting at our department. She underwent hepatectomy of the left lobe 3 months later. Chaga mushroom powder (4 – 5 teaspoons per day) had been ingested for the past 6 months for liver cancer. Renal function decreased and hemodialysis was initiated. Renal biopsy specimens showed diffuse tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis. Oxalate crystals were detected in the tubular lumina and urinary sediment and oxalate nephropathy was diagnosed. Chaga mushrooms contain extremely high oxalate concentrations. This is the first report of a case of oxalate nephropathy associated with ingestion of Chaga mushrooms.

Author Details

Authors

• Yuko Kikuchi¹
• Koichi Seta¹
• Yayoi Ogawa²
• Tatsuya Takayama³
• Masao Nagata³
• Takashi Taguchi⁴
• Kensei Yahata¹

Departments

• ¹ Department of Nephrology, National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center, Kyoto,
• ² Hokkaido Renal Pathology Center, Sapporo,
• ³ Department of Urology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, and
• ⁴ Department of Pathology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan

Address

Kensei Yahata, MD
Department of Nephrology
National Hospital Organization Kyoto Medical Center
1-1 Fukakusa Mukaihatacho, Fushimi-ku, Kyoto 612-8555, Japan
Email: [email protected]

Citation