Hepatotoxicity Associated with Supplements Containing Chinese Green Tea (<i>Camellia sinensis</i>)
Authors: Herbert L. Bonkovsky
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2006)

Letters3 January 2006Hepatotoxicity Associated with Supplements Containing Chinese Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)Herbert L. Bonkovsky, MDHerbert L. Bonkovsky, MDFrom the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030.Author, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-144-1-200601030-00020 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Background: Recent reports have identified an association between hepatotoxicity and health supplements containing green tea extract (Camellia sinensis).Objective: To present a new case study involving a patient who exhibited a positive response to a rechallenge and to summarize previous reports of C. sinensis-associated hepatotoxicity.Methods and Findings: A 37-year-old Hispanic woman was evaluated for a 10-day history of diffuse abdominal pain, nausea, and jaundice. She had been using a weight-loss supplement called The Right Approach Complex (Pharmanex, Provo, Utah) for 4 months. She was afebrile. Her serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level was 1783 U/L (reference range, ...References1. Stevens T, Qadri A, Zein NN. Two patients with acute liver injury associated with use of the herbal weight-loss supplement Hydroxycut [Letter]. Ann Intern Med. 2005;142:477-8. [PMID: 15767636] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Porcel JM, Bielsa S, Madronero AB. Hepatotoxicity associated with green tea extracts [electronic letter]. Accessed at www.annals.org on 3 June 2005. Google Scholar3. Pedros C, Cereza G, Garcia N, Laporte JR. [Liver toxicity of Camellia sinensis dried etanolic extract] [Letter]. Med Clin (Barc). 2003;121:598-9. [PMID: 14622530] MedlineGoogle Scholar4. Garcia-Moran S, Saez-Royuela F, Gento E, Lopez Morante A, Arias L. [Acute hepatitis associated with Camellia thea and Orthosiphon stamineus ingestion] [Letter]. Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2004;27:559-60. [PMID: 15544745] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Thiolet C, Mennecier D, Bredin C, Moulin O, Rimlinger H, Nizou C, et al. [Acute cytolysis induced by Chinese tea] [Letter]. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2002;26:939-40. [PMID: 12434106] MedlineGoogle Scholar6. Vial T, Bernard G, Lewden B, Dumortier J, Descotes J. [Acute hepatitis due to Exolise, a Camellia sinensis-derived drug] [Letter]. Gastroenterol Clin Biol. 2003;27:1166-7. [PMID: 14770123] MedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Herbert L. Bonkovsky, MDAffiliations: From the University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030.Disclosures: None disclosed. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoTwo Patients with Acute Liver Injury Associated with Use of the Herbal Weight-Loss Supplement Hydroxycut Tyler Stevens , Asif Qadri , and Nizar N. 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