Agranulocytosis caused by Chinese herbal medicines. Dangers of medications containing aminopyrine and phenylbutazone.
Four non-Chinese patients, middle-aged or older, developed agranuloctyosis while taking Chinese herbal medicines for relief of arthritis and back pain. All four developed life-threatening infections with bacterial sepsis; one died. The herbal medicines were shown to contain substantial amounts of undeclared aminopyrine and phenylbutazone, drugs that are well-known causes of agranulocytosis. These Chinese herbal medicines are widely available over the counter throughout the United States.
D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000209:etiology*; D000632:Aminopyrine / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001416:Back Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D001439:Bacteroides / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D008875:Middle Aged; D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D010653:Phenylbutazone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000302:isolation & purification; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis; D013210:Staphylococcus / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014481:United States; D044465:White People
D004366:Nonprescription Drugs; D000632:Aminopyrine; D010653:Phenylbutazone