The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology  2013;62(5):306-309

doi:10.4166/kjg.2013.62.5.306

A Case of Acute Pancreatitis and Acute Hepatitis Caused by Ingestion of Ceramium kondoi.

Da Bin KIM 1 ; Yoo Kyung CHO ; Hyun Joo SONG ; Byung Cheol SONG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Drug-induced liver injury; Pancreatitis; Herbal remedies

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

In Korea, the use of herbal remedies is a common cause of drug-induced liver injury. However, the occurrence of both acute pancreatitis and acute hepatitis after taking herbal remedies has rarely been reported. Herein, we report a case of concurrent acute pancreatitis and acute hepatitis associated with Ceramium kondoi ingestion. A 58-year-old woman was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer 7 months ago. Total gastrectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy was performed without complications. The patient had been well until recently, when she presented with severe abdominal pain after ingestion of Ceramium kondoi for 4 weeks. The laboratory findings demonstrated elevated liver enzymes and lipase, and abdominal computed tomography revealed pancreas swelling with fat infiltration. The diagnosis was made based on the diagnostic criteria for drug induced pancreatitis and the Russel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method scale for drug-induced liver injury. After cessation of Ceramium kondoi, she showed clinical and biochemical improvement.