Does Diacerin adversely affect the kidney?

Q: My husband has been treated for Left PUJ obstruction. Recently he has developed a knee problem for which he has been prescribed Artrodar (Diacerin capsules) 50 mg daily. Is it ok to take this medicine or will it have any adverse effect on the kidney?

A:Diacerin is a biological agent potentially modifying the course of osteoarthritis, and does not affect renal function. Long term non-steroidal anti-inflammatory pain killers, instead, are a concern for renal function.Your husband must have undergone renal scans during and after treatment of PUJ obstruction. These scans do give the capability of individual kidneys in form of GFR, which forms a baseline to compare with. Following treatment of PUJ obstruction he requires renal scans annually for a couple of years to see the progress of the treated kidney.