Anthranoid self-medication causing rapid development of melanosis coli
January 2003
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It is widely known that long-term use of anthranoid-containing laxatives is the cause of melanosis coli. We describe a case of melanosis coli, which occurred in a 39-year-old liver transplant patient who took an over-the-counter product containing aloe, rheum and frangula. The typical brownish pigmentation of the colonic mucosa developed in a period of ten months. The anthranoid medication was stopped and follow-up colonoscopy one year later showed normal looking mucosa once more. However, in contrast to previous examinations, a sessile polypoid lesion was found in the transverse colon. Histology showed tubulovillous adenoma with extensive low-grade dysplasia. Since there have been preliminary reports suggesting a possible role of anthranoid-containing laxatives in the development of colorectal adenomas and cancer, their use should be discouraged.
- Male
- Adult
- Humans
- Time Factors
- Cathartics/*adverse effects
- Anthraquinones/*adverse effects
- Colonic Diseases/*chemically induced/pathology
- Melanosis/*chemically induced/pathology
- Self Medication/*adverse effects
- melanosis coli
- melanosi
- laxative
- patient
- cause melanosis coli
- cancer
- mucosa
- january
- colorectal
- anthranoid
- sessile polypoid lesion
- sclerosing cholangitis
- figure
- colonoscopy
- anthranoid-containing laxatives
- study
- product
- month
- development
- colon
