Caution in the use of boldo in herbal laxatives: a case of hepatotoxicity.
A case is reported in which a several-fold increase in transaminases and gamma-GT was detected in an elderly male patient with fatty liver. The patient was regularly taking a mixture of herbal products, used as a laxative, for a number of years, with no alteration of blood chemistry until 6 months before the present observation. However, the composition of the mixture had been modified by the manufacturer in the past 5 months, with addition of boldo leaf extracts. Transaminases promptly returned to normal after withdrawal of the laxative. It is concluded that boldo leaf extracts might be hepatotoxic, at least in elderly patients with fatty liver.
Piscaglia
Fabio
F
Division of Internal Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Bologna, IT-40138 Bologna, Italy. Piscagl@med.unibo.it
Leoni
Simona
S
Venturi
Annamaria
A
Graziella
Franceschini
F
Donati
Gabriele
G
Bolondi
Luigi
L
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002400:Cathartics / Q000009:adverse effects*; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D003248:Constipation / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D031611:Peumus / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018515:Plant Leaves
D002400:Cathartics; D010936:Plant Extracts