Mechanisms in the development of analgesic nephropathy

Analgesic nephropathy is a unique drug-induced kidney disease. It is characterized by renal papillary necrosis and interstitial nephritis resulting from prolonged excessive consumption of combination antipyretic analgesics.Antipyretic analgesics have been used in clinical medicine since the late nineteenth century. Buss introduced sodium salicylate in 1895, Dresser introduced aspirin in 1897, phenacetin in 1887, and Von Merring introduced paracetamol (acetaminophen) in 1893 [1]. These drugs have found widespread use as everyday remedies in almost every country in the world. It was not until 1953, however, that Spuehler and Zollinger [2] described the renal disease associated with the chronic consumption of combination analgesics containing phenacetin