Aristolochic acid is a component of many foods and a medicinal material of traditional Chinese medicine. However, because an early foreign paper wrote that aristolochic acid also has carcinogenic components, many people avoid foods containing this substance. So which vegetables contain aristolochic acid?

Pig excrement beans, also known as houttuynia cordata. , a popular flavor vegetable in southwest China, contains a kind of aristolochialactam, which is the metabolic intermediate of the strong carcinogen aristolochic acid.

Researchers speculate that the prevalence of chronic kidney disease in different regions may be caused by regional dietary differences, low birth weight, heredity and other factors. In the southwest of China, besides eating the roots of broken ears, we also like to use Aristolochia and Asarum as spices.

Aristolochic acid is listed as a carcinogen of 1 by the International Center for Research on Cancer. Singaporean researchers sequenced all exons of 19 urethral carcinoma patients who were exposed to aristolochic acid and 7 patients who were not exposed to aristolochic acid. The results showed that there were 753 gene mutations per 654.38+0 million DNA in each patient in the aristolochic acid exposure group, while there were only 965.438+0 gene mutations in each patient in the non-aristolochic acid exposure group.

When the body ingests aristolochic acid, it will metabolize and produce aristolochic lactam, which can cause DNA damage and then cause cancer. At the same time, there is relevant evidence that aristolochic lactam has certain nephrotoxicity and carcinogenicity even if it is directly ingested.

Is eating broken ears equal to cancer? Aristolochia lactams are mainly divided into type I and type II. Aristolochia lactam -I can cause liver injury and has strong carcinogenicity, while Aristolochia lactam -II is nontoxic.

Aristolochia-BII, AII and FII, that is, class II aristolochiamide, is contained in the root of the ear, so it is not carcinogenic and can be safely eaten.

Scientific diet and regular work and rest are the only ways to prevent cancer. Don't be too alarmed about cancer-causing vegetables. Cancer is the result of many factors. Although some vegetables contain carcinogenic ingredients, the content is basically not high. As long as the cooking is reasonable and the intake is controlled, the effect on carcinogenesis is not great.