Hepatitis caused by the herbal remedy Teucrium polium L

Abstract

Herbal remedies have become increasingly popular throughout the globe as a result of disappointment with conventional medicines and also of the alleged belief that herbal preparations are basically harmless. On the other hand, their effects can be exceedingly potent or even lethal if used improperly. Drugs and other chemicals account for less than 5% of cases of jaundice or acute hepatitis and smaller number of cases of chronic liver disease. Drug reactions can mimic any hepatobiliary disease, posing a diagnostic challenge for physicians and pathologists. Hepatotoxicity generally occurs after approximately 2 months of ingestion and consists of a non-specific hepatitis, which usually runs a benign course. Typical features include anorexia, nausea, abdominal pain, and jaundice associated with a marked elevation in serum aminotransferases. We present a case of acute hepatitis in a 70-year-old farmer, using Teucrium polium (golden germander) as hypoglycaemic aid. The patient presented only with jaundice, after 1 month's consumption of large quantities of this herb in a tea form.