Abstract
Background: The concentrated juice made from Averrhoa bilimbi is rich in oxalic acid. It can cause acute oxalate nephropathy by blocking the tubules with calcium oxalate crystals. Case: An elderly woman was admitted to the hospital with a history of swelling of the legs, facial puffiness, and abdominal distention. Her biochemical study revealed features of acute renal failure. She gave history of taking half liter of bilimbi juice. Renal biopsy confirmed it was a case of acute oxalic nephropathy, which made it the second case of acute oxalic nephropathy due to ingestion of bilimbi juice ever reported from Bangladesh. Conclusion: It is not safe to consume high oxalate-containing fruits in large quantities.
Highlights
Acute kidney injury is caused by some plant toxins.1 The toxic plants are known to be used in therapeutic, cosmetic and even suicidal purposes.2,3 Averrhoa bilimbi, which is commonly known as bilimbi, belongs to the family of the Oxalidaceae
This article discusses a case of acute oxalate nephropathy after ingestion of A. bilimbi juice in a patient admitted in a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh
Efforts are required to raise the public awareness regarding the danger of consuming bilimbi juice in high quantity in South East Asian countries, where A. bilimbi juice is used as a remedy of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia
Summary
Acute kidney injury is caused by some plant toxins. The toxic plants are known to be used in therapeutic, cosmetic and even suicidal purposes. Averrhoa bilimbi, which is commonly known as bilimbi, belongs to the family of the Oxalidaceae. This article discusses a case of acute oxalate nephropathy after ingestion of A. bilimbi juice in a patient admitted in a hospital in Dhaka, Bangladesh. A sixty-two-year-old female was admitted to a private hospital in Mid Badda, Dhaka with a history of bilateral leg swelling, facial puffiness, abdominal distention, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting for two days. At first she had fever, associated with chills and rigor. There was no history of oliguria, hematuria, or frothing of urine, dysuria, shortness of breath, or haemoptysis She was a known case of systemic hypertension for last 15 years, and she was taking amlodipine 5 mg and atenolol 50 mg once daily as antihypertensive medication since her diagnosis. She informed that she consumed 500 ml of homemade juice made
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