Nagata N, Yoneyama T, Yanagida K, Ushio K, Yanagihara S, Matsubara O, Eishi Y
J Toxicol Sci. 1985 Nov;10(4):333-41. doi: 10.2131/jts.10.333.
Acute renal failure developed in a patient accompanied by systemic manifestations such as myopathy and skin rash. The patient, a middle aged house wife, had been taking 600 mg of germanium (Ge) preparation daily for 18 months as an elixir. The main component of the preparation was GeO2 and some organic compound was also present. Histological study of the kidney post mortem showed foamy cell transformation of glomerular epithelia, degeneration of tubular epithelia with red blood cell casts and urate crystals, and a mild proliferation of mesangial matrix. Analysis of the tissue content of Ge, prompted by her history, revealed an increased accumulation of the metal. As compared to a non-user died of liver cirrhosis, the concentration of the metal was higher particularly in the spleen (183X), thyroid gland (175X), psoas muscle (93X), jejunum (76X), and renal cortex (69X). So far, neither accumulation of Ge in humal tissue nor systemic toxicity of the Ge in human has been reported. The relevance of massive accumulation of Ge to the renal failure as well as to other systemic manifestations the patient presented remains to be clarified.
一名患者出现急性肾衰竭，并伴有如肌病和皮疹等全身症状。该患者是一名中年家庭主妇，18个月来每日服用600毫克锗（Ge）制剂作为长生不老药。该制剂的主要成分是二氧化锗，还含有一些有机化合物。死后对肾脏进行组织学研究显示，肾小球上皮细胞出现泡沫样细胞转化，肾小管上皮细胞变性，伴有红细胞管型和尿酸盐结晶，系膜基质轻度增生。鉴于她的病史，对组织中的锗含量进行分析发现该金属的蓄积增加。与一名死于肝硬化的未使用者相比，该金属的浓度尤其在脾脏（183倍）、甲状腺（175倍）、腰大肌（93倍）、空肠（76倍）和肾皮质（69倍）中更高。迄今为止，尚未有关于锗在人体组织中蓄积以及锗对人体产生全身毒性的报道。锗的大量蓄积与该患者出现的肾衰竭以及其他全身症状之间的相关性仍有待阐明。
