Acute kidney injury from cherry concentrate in a patient with CKD.

Nutraceuticals are supplements and medical foods that offer numerous health benefits. However, these substances may have adverse effects on multiple organ systems, leading to significant morbidity. I present a patient with chronic kidney disease who experienced hemodynamically mediated acute kidney injury and hyperkalemia after daily consumption of cherry concentrate. The method of injury was most likely cyclooxygenase inhibition by the compounds in cherries that mimic the mechanism of action of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications. Ceasing cherry concentrate consumption led to improvements in both the patient's hyperkalemia and kidney injury. Physicians should be aware of the potentially harmful side effects of cherry concentrate and approach the use of cherry extract or concentrate with caution in patients with underlying kidney disease.