Arsenic from environmental contamination is a risk factor for kidney disease

and the clinical use of arsenic also triggers a new concern that the potential kidney damage caused by exposure to clinical doses of arsenic trivalent. So far

the undergoing mechanisms contributing to arsenic nephrotoxicity mostly remain unclear

and universally accepted methods for preventing this complication are limited too. Ancient Chinese medical scientists recognized the toxicity of arsenic long ago

and there were some records of Chinese herbs against arsenic poisoning in ancient books of Chinese medicine. In the past decade

several herbal formulations

as well as some potentially active compounds extracted from Chinese herbs

have been employed to prevent arsenic nephrotoxicity both

in vivo

and

in vitro

and showed better therapeutic effects. The present paper thus summarizes and discusses these Chinese medicine methods in preventing such a public health problem. In addition

we call for large

well-designed

randomized

and controlled clinical trials to be performed to further assess the efficacy and safety of these potential methods of Chinese medicine against arsenic nephrotoxicity.