Urinary excretion of five low molecular weight proteins (LMWP) [beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2m), cystatin C (cyst C), Clara cell protein (CC16), retinol-binding protein (RBP) and alpha 1-microglobulin (alpha 1m)], albumin and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) were quantified in 16 patients who followed a weight reduction program which included Chinese herbs, which have been incriminated in the genesis of Chinese herbs nephropathy (CHN). An additional group of four patients transplanted for CHN were investigated. Urinary data were obtained for comparison purpose in five groups of proteinuric patients: two groups with normal serum creatinine (SCr) and glomerular albuminura [12 patients with diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria (DN), 10 patients with primary nephrotic syndrome (NS)]; two groups with normal SCr and toxic nephropathy [6 patients with analgesic (AN), 9 patients with cadmium nephropathy (CdN)]; and one group of seven patients with glomerular diseases and increased SCr (GN). Patients were classified according to serum level S beta 2m to take into account the possibility of overflow proteinuria at S beta 2m > or = 5 mg/liter. Three patients (CHN0) with a S beta 2m < 5 mg/liter, had a normal urinary protein pattern including NAG and a normal S beta 2m. Eight patients (CHN1) with a S beta 2m < 5 mg/liter had various abnormalities of their urinary protein pattern. In four of them (CHN1a) only beta 2m, RBP and CC16 were increased while total proteinuria and SCr were normal. In the other four (CHN1b and c) albumin, cyst C, alpha 1m and NAG were also elevated, while total proteinuria and SCr were moderately raised. Five patients (CHN2) with a S beta 2m > or = 5 mg/liter had a markedly increased excretion of all LMWP, albumin and NAG (CHN1 vs. CHN2, P < 0.05) as well as a further increase in total proteinuria and SCr. The urinary LMWP/albumin concentration ratio was strikingly higher in CHN patients than in patients with glomerular albuminuria (CHN1 vs. DN and NS, P < 0.01) or moderate renal failure with elevated S beta 2m level (CHN2 vs. GN, P < 0.01), confirming the existence of a tubular proteinuria independent of glomerular albuminuria or overflow proteinuria. A similar proteinuria pattern was present in the two toxic nephropathies (CdN and AN). This pattern was no longer recognizable after transplantation. In conclusion, CHN exhibits various profiles of tubular proteinuria which are the hallmarks of the disease. This pattern is still detectable in patients with renal failure and/or glomerular albuminuria. It is identical to that observed in cadmium and analgesic nephropathies. It does not recur after transplantation. Its most sensitive and reliable marker is a raised urinary level of CC16 or RBP.