plethoryl and Acute-Disease

Plethoryl is a combination of triatricol, cyclovalone and vitamin A normally prescribed in the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia. Four cases of side-effects most probably caused by this product are reported. They include: 1) a case of common acute hepatitis, 23 cases of which have already been published, with aggravation and reduced time-lapse after reintroduction; 2) a case of clinically silent but biochemically classical hepatitis; 3) a case of cirrhosis due to vitamin A toxicity; 4) a case of inflammatory arthralgias recurring after the same time-lag when the drug was reintroduced despite double doses and without clinical evidence of hepatitis. The last three side-effects have never been previously reported. The adverse reactions to Plethoryl almost always occur in the unofficial indications of the product, notably in the "treatment" of obesity.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cyclohexanes; Cyclohexanones; Diterpenes; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Hypervitaminosis A; Liver Cirrhosis; Middle Aged; Obesity; Triiodothyronine; Vitamin A

Seven patients developed acute hepatitis after receiving Plethoryl for obesity for 4 to 16 weeks. Jaundice was generally associated with or preceded by asthenia, nausea and pruritus. Serum aminotransferase activities were markedly increased whereas alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyltransferase activities were moderately elevated. There was no hepatic failure. In all cases, Plethoryl administration was promptly discontinued. In 6 cases, jaundice disappeared within 2 to 4 weeks, and recovery occurred within 2 to 5 months. In one case, however, jaundice disappeared within 12 weeks and recovery took 10 months.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adult; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cyclohexanes; Cyclohexanones; Diterpenes; Drug Combinations; Drug Interactions; Female; Humans; Liver; Middle Aged; Triiodothyronine; Vitamin A

Topics: Acute Disease; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Cyclohexanes; Cyclohexanones; Diterpenes; Drug Combinations; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Triiodothyronine; Vitamin A