@article{ref1,
title="Toxic hepatitis due to a food supplement: "natural" is no synonym for "harmless"",
journal="Clinics and research in hepatology and gastroenterology",
year="2016",
author="Couturier, Filip J. and Colemont, Luc J. and Fierens, Herbert and Verhoeven, Veronique M.",
volume="40",
number="4",
pages="e38-43",
abstract="BACKGROUND/AIMS: Herbal products are increasingly used in modern medicine for numerous indications. They are not considered as drugs and thus often not linked to side effects. MATERIAL: A 77-year-old patient presented with silent icterus and biochemical evidence of hepatocellular damage. Because of dyslipidaemia, he was recently prescribed Controchol(®), a food supplement containing red yeast and green tea extracts. <br><br>RESULTS: Liver biopsy showed necro-inflammatory destruction of liver parenchym, collapse of reticulin matrix, cholestasis and gall duct damage, compatible with toxic hepatitis. After discontinuation of Controchol(®), there was a gradual normalisation of the liver function tests. Liver injury is a known side effect of both red yeast and green tea extracts. After exclusion of other causes, we therefore concluded our patient had suffered from Controchol(®)-induced toxic hepatitis. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Products that are conceived as &quot;natural&quot; alternatives for pharmacological drugs, like food supplements, are not free of side effects per se, and should not be considered as &quot;harmless&quot;.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2210-7401",
doi="10.1016/j.clinre.2015.12.016",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clinre.2015.12.016"
}