Adverse reaction to a Chinese herbal remedy.
OBJECTIVE
To report a multisystem illness in a patient after ingestion of Chinese herbal medicines, together with an analysis of the herbal medicine and to alert physicians to the growing clinical importance of adverse reactions to herbal remedies.


METHODS
A 61-year-old Chinese Vietnamese man with a history of atrial fibrillation and left cerebral hemisphere infarction three months previously presented after a three-day illness with acute hepatorenal failure, multiple pulmonary emboli, peripheral arterial thromboembolism and laboratory features of consumptive coagulopathy. For three days before presentation, he drank a daily infusion of herbal medicine.


METHODS
Intensive supportive medical care including haemodiafiltration resulted in recovery of renal function, liver function and return of coagulation parameters to normal over a one-month period. Toxicological analysis of an infusion prepared from a sample of the patient's herbal medicine revealed the potentially toxic compounds benzaldehyde, cinnamoyl alcohol and ephedrine.


CONCLUSIONS
The ingestion of herbal medicine caused or contributed to the patient's illness.
Gorey
J D
JD
Professorial Medical Unit, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC.
Wahlqvist
M L
ML
Boyce
N W
NW
D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000628:therapy
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal