Melanosis coli is the brownish pigmentation of the colon associted with the ingestion of anthraquinone compounds as iaxatives. The brownish discoloration of the colon mucosa is due to accumulation of macrophage containing lipofuscin pigment in the lamina propria. This is the one of the complications of laxative abuse, but the pigments disappear by withdrawing the anthraquinone. We report a case of malanosis coli histologically confirmed by fibersigmoidoscopic biopsy in a 70-year-old female patient consuming anthraquinone compound for twelve months with a review of the literature.
Aged ; Biopsy ; Colon ; Eating ; Female ; Humans ; Lipofuscin ; Macrophages ; Melanosis* ; Mucous Membrane ; Pigmentation

Colonic lesions by irritant laxative abuse are devided into melanosis coli, cathartic colon, soap or chemical colitis. Melanosis coli is the brownish or black discoloration of the colon because of the accumulation of lipofuscin pigment in macrophages located in lamina propria and associated with anthraquinone containing laxative abuse. The site of this lesion is more common in cecum and proximal colon, but whole colon can be involved. This lesion is occurred between 4 months and 13 months from initiation of drug medication, and the lesion is benign because the pigments disappear by withdrawning the laxatives. A number of cases were reported in our country, all of the cases were associated with prolonged administration of anthraquinone type laxatives. We presents two cases of melanosis eoli that had administrated aloe to treat the chronic constipation during long terms, and one case of melanosis coli that had not administrated laxatives or a specific drug with chronic constipation. All of three cases were confirmed by colonoscopy.
Aloe ; Cecum ; Colitis ; Colon ; Colonoscopy ; Constipation ; Laxatives ; Lipofuscin ; Macrophages ; Melanosis* ; Mucous Membrane ; Soaps

Adult Clonorchis sinensis from infected human cases may have black pigment in their parenchyme. In present paper, the nature of the pigment was investigated. The pigment distributed in cytoplasm of parenchymal cells of the worms. Histochemically the pigment was positive by periodic acid-Schiff, Ziehl-Neelsen, and lipofuscin stainings. The pigment particle contained many, various sized membrane structure as well as electron dense granules when observed by electron microscopy. Staining characteristics of the black pigment, together with electron microscopic findings, strongly indicated that the pigment was lipofuscin.
parasitology-helminth-trematoda ; Clonorchis sinensis ; lipofuscin ; electron microscopy ; periodic acid-Schiff ; Ziehl-Neelsen

Animals ; Apolipoproteins E ; deficiency ; genetics ; Blood Vessels ; anatomy & histology ; Fluorescence ; Lipofuscin ; Mice ; Mice, Knockout

Pigmented extraadrenal paraganglioma is an unusual neoplasm that has rarely been reported in the literature. Based on histochemical staining or electron microscopy, pigment has been classified as lipofuscin, neuromelanin or true melanin. We report a case of pigmented extraadrenal paraganglioma in the posterior mediastinum of a 70-year-old woman. Histologically, the tumor had a characteristic organoid architecture of "zellballen" pattern with rich delicate microvasculature. Tumor cells contained numerous coarse brown-black pigment granules. Ultrastructurally, the tumor showed abundant large electron-dense pigment granules that vary in size and shape and smaller membrane-bound neurosecretory granules. The larger granules were consistent with neuromelanin or lipofuscin. Histochemically, the pigment is most likely neuromelanin, which is a waste product of catecholamine metabolism.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Lipofuscin ; Mediastinum ; Melanins ; Metabolism ; Microscopy, Electron ; Microvessels ; Organoids ; Paraganglioma* ; Waste Products

The current definition of metabolic syndrome focuses on the individual accumulation of multiple cardiovascular risk factors. However, metabolic syndrome is often also constantly accompanied with abnormal body fat distribution, tissue insulin resistance, low-grade inflammation, and dysfunctional secretion and regulation of adipokines, which have become new highlights in the research of the pathogenesis and clinical indices of metabolic syndrome.
Body Fat Distribution ; C-Reactive Protein ; metabolism ; Humans ; Lipofuscin ; metabolism ; Metabolic Syndrome ; metabolism

Melanosis ilei is a condition that's characterized by gross greyish-black or brownish-black pigmentation of the mucosa of the terminal ileum. There were several substances that produce gastrointestinal tract pigmentation such as lipofuscin, iron sulphide (FeS), Hemosiderin and exogenous material such as silicates and titanium. We report here on a case of a 58-year-old female who ingested charcoal for a long time, and she was diagnosed with melanosis ilei by colonoscopy. Her condition improved after she stopped ingesting the charcoal.
Charcoal ; Colonoscopy ; Female ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Hemosiderin ; Humans ; Ileum ; Iron ; Lipofuscin ; Melanosis* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Pigmentation ; Silicates ; Titanium

Melanosis coli is the brownish black discoloration of the colon due to accumulation of pigment containing macrophages in lamina propria. The nature and source of this pigment is controversial but many studies have suggested that the pigment is related to lipofuscin. Melanosis coli has been reported to be closely associated with prolonged administration of anthraquinone purgatives. But this condition is sometimes associated with colonic polyp colon cancer, rediation therapy or non-anthraquinone purgatives administration. Moreover the fact that melanosis coli could be found in subjects who never used purgatives suggested that, even though chronic consumption of anthraquinone purgatives seems to play a major role, other factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of melanosis coli. We presented a case of melanosis Coli in a 47-year-old female with history of rectal instillation of petroleum for control of hemorrhoids.
Administration, Rectal* ; Cathartics ; Colon ; Colonic Neoplasms ; Colonic Polyps ; Female ; Hemorrhoids ; Humans ; Lipofuscin ; Macrophages ; Melanosis* ; Middle Aged ; Mucous Membrane ; Petroleum*

This study was carried out to investigate the direct neurotoxicity of alcohol on CNS and the effects of piracetam or vitamins on ultrastructural changes of the rat cerebellar and hippocampal neurons during long-term alcohol treatment. To evaluate the results, quantitative analysis were done for light and electronic microscopic findings. On the light microscopy, red degeneration of pyramidal cells and Purkinje cells was found more apparently in the alcohol only treated group than in the control group. On the electron microscopy, increased lipofuscin pigments wee found in cerebellum and hippocampus. In quantitative analysis, vitamins significantly reduced red degeneration in both hippocampus and cerebellum. However, piracetam significantly reduced red degeneration in cerebellum but not in hippocampus. Lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells were significantly reduced in the alcohol with piracetam treated group than the alcohol only treated group. However, vitamin had no significant reducing effect of lipofuscin pigments in Purkinje cells and pyramidal cells. According to the results, it is concluded that vitamins deficiency might cause red degeneration of pyramidal cell after long-term alcohol treatment, but increment of lipofuscin pigments in pyramidal and Purkinje cell may be caused by alcohol itself or its metabolite rather than vitamins deficiency. Piracetam seems to improve cognitive function impairment caused by alcohol consumption.
Alcohol Drinking ; Animals ; Cerebellum ; Hippocampus ; Lipofuscin ; Microscopy ; Microscopy, Electron ; Neurons* ; Piracetam* ; Purkinje Cells ; Pyramidal Cells ; Rats* ; Vitamins*

One consistent finding in the aging human RPE is the intracellular accumulation of lipofuscin Lipofuscin was applied to the cell culture technique to clarify the relationship between age related macular degeneration and lipofuscin accumulation in the human RPE. The results obtained in this study are as follows: 1. The initial suspensions of dissociated RPE cells consisted of densely pigmented and hexagonal cells. Rapid cell proliferation and confluency of a culture occured from 2 weeks after seeding. No pigment granule was observed in subcultured cells of 3rd passage. 2. When RPE cultures were subcultured the cells gradually de pigmented due to a redistribution of pigment granules. Quantitative analysis demonstrated that intensity of fluorescence for a certain number of cells reduced proportionally as the cell division proceeded. 3. Cultured human retinal pigment epithelial cells readily ingested lipofuscin isolated from human RPE cells. The amount of lipofuscin phagocytized by cultured RPE cells were greater than that phagocytized by aged cells. Accumulation and/or saturation of lipofuscin in the RPE cells at least in cell culture did not necessarily affect RPE cell survival.
Aging ; Cell Culture Techniques ; Cell Division ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Survival ; Epithelial Cells ; Fluorescence ; Humans* ; Lipofuscin* ; Macular Degeneration ; Retinal Pigment Epithelium* ; Retinaldehyde* ; Suspensions