title: Herbal medicine-related hepatotoxicity.
abstract: Herbal medicine products represent a common therapeutic approach in the East and are gaining increasing popularity in Western countries. They are unjustifiably considered to be side-effect free; on the contrary, severe toxicity, including catastrophic hepatic injury has been reported in association with their use. Vigilance is required from both physicians and the general public. Physicians should always suspect herbal medicines when evaluating a patient with unexplained liver injury. Regulation standards for herbal products need to be reconsidered, so that the efficacy and safety of these products have been clearly demonstrated before they enter the markets.
authors.affiliation: Evangelos Stournaras, Konstantinos Tziomalos, First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stournaras
authors.affiliation: Evangelos Stournaras, Konstantinos Tziomalos, First Propedeutic Department of Internal Medicine, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, AHEPA Hospital, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tziomalos
keywords: Cholestasis; Herbal medicines; Liver transplantation