Herbal Supplement-Induced Liver Injury: A Case Report

Cureus. 2023 Jan 11;15(1):e33663. doi: 10.7759/cureus.33663. eCollection 2023 Jan.

Abstract

We present the case of a 45-year-old woman who arrived at the emergency department complaining of sudden epigastric pain. An inpatient evaluation revealed no evidence of viral or immunologic infection. Additionally, imaging did not elicit a clear cause for the patient's symptoms. Further examination revealed that the patient had recently begun using a herbal tea and that symptoms had completely resolved after discontinuation. Though rare, hepatotoxicity secondary to herbal supplement ingestion, or herbal supplement-induced liver injury, or HILI, should be considered in all patients presenting with abnormal liver function tests.

Keywords: drug-induced liver injury (dili); hepatitis; herbal medications; herbal supplements; herbal-induced liver injury (hili); liver damage.

Publication types

  • Case Reports