Fulminant liver failure due to usnic acid for weight loss

Francisco A. Durazo; Charles Lassman; Steven H.B. Han; Sammy Saab; Nancy P. Lee; Marvin Kawano; Bob Saggi; Sherilyn Gordon; Douglas G. Farmer; Hasan Yersiz; R. Leonard I. Goldstein; Mark Ghobrial; Ronald W. Busuttil

doi:10.1111/j.1572-0241.2004.04165.x

Fulminant liver failure due to usnic acid for weight loss

Francisco A. Durazo, Charles Lassman, Steven H.B. Han, Sammy Saab, Nancy P. Lee, Marvin Kawano, Bob Saggi, Sherilyn Gordon, Douglas G. Farmer, Hasan Yersiz, R. Leonard I. Goldstein, Mark Ghobrial, Ronald W. Busuttil

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

111 Scopus citations

Abstract

The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in developed countries has increased significantly over the years. Among the most popular are the weight loss supplements or "fat burners." Liver failure due to these popular remedies has been widely recognized. Usnic acid has been an ingredient of dietary supplements that cause liver failure. Its hepatotoxicity has not been recognized because it is usually mixed with other ingredients that are presumably hepatotoxic. We describe a case of a 28-yr-old woman who presented with fulminant liver failure requiring orthotopic liver transplantation, after taking pure usnic acid for weight loss. This is the first report on fulminant liver failure associated with the ingestion of pure usnic acid. A discussion about hepatotoxicity of the different compounds of dietary supplements is presented. This is a reminder for the clinicians about the potential side effects of CAM.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	950-952
Number of pages	3
Journal	American Journal of Gastroenterology
Volume	99
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1572-0241.2004.04165.x
State	Published - May 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Hepatology
Gastroenterology

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title = "Fulminant liver failure due to usnic acid for weight loss",

abstract = "The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in developed countries has increased significantly over the years. Among the most popular are the weight loss supplements or {"}fat burners.{"} Liver failure due to these popular remedies has been widely recognized. Usnic acid has been an ingredient of dietary supplements that cause liver failure. Its hepatotoxicity has not been recognized because it is usually mixed with other ingredients that are presumably hepatotoxic. We describe a case of a 28-yr-old woman who presented with fulminant liver failure requiring orthotopic liver transplantation, after taking pure usnic acid for weight loss. This is the first report on fulminant liver failure associated with the ingestion of pure usnic acid. A discussion about hepatotoxicity of the different compounds of dietary supplements is presented. This is a reminder for the clinicians about the potential side effects of CAM.",

author = "Durazo, {Francisco A.} and Charles Lassman and Han, {Steven H.B.} and Sammy Saab and Lee, {Nancy P.} and Marvin Kawano and Bob Saggi and Sherilyn Gordon and Farmer, {Douglas G.} and Hasan Yersiz and Goldstein, {R. Leonard I.} and Mark Ghobrial and Busuttil, {Ronald W.}",

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AU - Durazo, Francisco A.

AU - Lassman, Charles

AU - Han, Steven H.B.

AU - Saab, Sammy

AU - Lee, Nancy P.

AU - Kawano, Marvin

AU - Saggi, Bob

AU - Gordon, Sherilyn

AU - Farmer, Douglas G.

AU - Yersiz, Hasan

AU - Goldstein, R. Leonard I.

AU - Ghobrial, Mark

AU - Busuttil, Ronald W.

PY - 2004/5

Y1 - 2004/5

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AB - The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in developed countries has increased significantly over the years. Among the most popular are the weight loss supplements or "fat burners." Liver failure due to these popular remedies has been widely recognized. Usnic acid has been an ingredient of dietary supplements that cause liver failure. Its hepatotoxicity has not been recognized because it is usually mixed with other ingredients that are presumably hepatotoxic. We describe a case of a 28-yr-old woman who presented with fulminant liver failure requiring orthotopic liver transplantation, after taking pure usnic acid for weight loss. This is the first report on fulminant liver failure associated with the ingestion of pure usnic acid. A discussion about hepatotoxicity of the different compounds of dietary supplements is presented. This is a reminder for the clinicians about the potential side effects of CAM.

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Fulminant liver failure due to usnic acid for weight loss

Abstract

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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