title: A case of acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia (Boh-Gol-Zhee).
abstract: The potential hepatotoxicity of herbal remedies is usually ignored in daily life. One such compound, Boh-Gol-Zhee (in Chinese, Bu Ku Zi), appeared to be associated with the occurrence of acute cholestatic hepatic injury in the following case. Some alternative medicine therapists claim that Psoralea corylifolia is effective for the treatment of osteoporosis. We observed a case of acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with the use of the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia in amounts over 10 times the usual dose in a postmenopausal woman. Liver biopsy showed zone three necroses, degenerating cells, cholestasis, and infiltrations with inflammatory cells. This case stresses the need to warn of the potential hepatotoxicity of the seed of Psoralea corylifolia, especially in a large dose.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Medical College of the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Soon Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Jong Tae
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Baek
authors.forename: Dong Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sang Bum
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Byung Min
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Ahn
authors.forename: Kyu Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000209:etiology*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D005260:Female; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D006801:Humans; D010939:Plant Poisoning / Q000150:complications*; D029907:Psoralea; D012639:Seeds