Hepatic injury in 12 patients taking the herbal weight loss aids Chaso or Onshido
Article Abstract:
Background: The Chinese herbal dietary supplements Chaso and Onshido are marketed for weight loss in Japan. The safety of these weight loss aids is unknown. Objective: To describe patients who developed liver injury while taking Chaso or Onshido. Design: Case series. Setting: Keio University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan, and other hospitals in Japan. Patients: 6 patients who took Chaso and 6 patients who took Onshido before presenting with liver injury. Measurements: Pathologic, clinical, and laboratory evaluations and chemical analysis of the herbal weight loss aids. Results: All 12 patients developed acute liver injury characterized by a marked increase in serum liver chemistry values (mean alanine aminotransferase level, 1978 U/L [range, 283 to 4074 U/L]) after ingesting these products. Two patients developed fulminant hepatic failure: 1 patient required liver transplantation, and the other patient died. N-nitroso-fenfluramine, a variant of the appetite-depressant drug fenfluramine, was present in these products. Conclusions: The use of weight loss aids Chaso and Onshido may be associated with acute liver injury. N-nitroso-fenfluramine is a possible hepatotoxic ingredient.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 2003
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Ephedra is associated with more adverse effects than other herbs
Article Abstract:
Dietary supplements containing ephedra are much more likely to cause serious adverse effects than other herbs and dietary supplements, according to researchers who analyzed all the adverse effects of herbal products reported to US poison control centers in 2001. Although ephedra accounts for only 1% of total herbal product sales, it accounted for 64% of all reports of adverse effects. It was 100 times more likely to cause adverse effects than kava and 700 times more likely to cause adverse events than ginkgo.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 2003
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
Liver injury in 12 patients taking the herbal weight loss aids Chaso or Onshido
Article Abstract:
Two Chinese herbal products used as weight loss preparations may damage the liver, according to a study of 12 patients. The products are Chaso and Onshido. All 12 patients had liver disease, two developed liver failure, and one of those patients died. The other had to have a liver transplant.
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 2003
User Contributions:
Comment about this article or add new information about this topic:
- Abstracts: Match and mismatch: identifying the neuronal determinants of pain. Selecting patients with colorectal cancer to test for genetic abnormalities
- Abstracts: Investigation of xerostomia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. How can oral health care providers determine if patients have dry mouth?
- Abstracts: The management of gout. The severe gout of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Gout
- Abstracts: Novel risk markers and clinical practice. HIV infection and cardiovascular disease -- is there really a link? Lp(a) lipoprotein -- coping with heterogeneity
- Abstracts: Constitutively activated receptors for parathyroid hormone and parathyroid hormone-related peptide in Jansen's metaphyseal chondrodysplasia