Diagnosis of a Case of Hepatotoxicity Due to Drugs and Herbal Supplements in a Hospital in Pasto, Colombia

Abstract

The liver is a crucial organ in metabolism, and some substances can induce toxic hepatitis with high morbidity and mortality. Chemical and drug-induced liver disease is a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge since it requires extension studies to rule out other entities. We present the case of a 51-year-old female patient without underlying comorbidities, admitted due to symptoms of two-day evolution consisting of progressive jaundice, diarrheal episodes without acholia, or any other additional manifestation. Her condition was caused by the intake of nimesulide, two tablets a day for two days, for pain secondary to a mandibular cyst diagnosed in previous days. During her admission to the emergency room, the patient described chronic consumption of Herbalife® products daily for four years. She presented with elevated transaminases, prolonged prothrombin time (PT), and direct hyperbilirubinemia. Infectious and immunological diseases were ruled out. We decided to start antibiotic and vitamin K coverage. Finally, and by exclusion, a liver biopsy suggested an inflammatory process compatible with drug-induced hepatitis. The woman evolved favorably when the medication and dietary supplement were discontinued. In conclusion, this case constitutes an initial point in advancing research into hepatotoxicity by shared mechanisms of various substances simultaneously, such as what happened to the patient with the parallel use of Herbalife® and nimesulide.