Herbal Medicine-Associated Lead Intoxication

Setsuo HASEGAWA; Kazutaka NAKAYAMA; Katsuhiko IWAKIRI; Emi AN; Seiji GOMI; Kazuo DAN; Masao KATSUMATA; Masayasu MINAMI; Ichiji WAKABAYASHI

doi:10.2169/internalmedicine.36.56

Setsuo HASEGAWA, Kazutaka NAKAYAMA, Katsuhiko IWAKIRI, Emi AN, Seiji GOMI, Kazuo DAN, Masao KATSUMATA, Masayasu MINAMI, Ichiji WAKABAYASHI

Author information

Setsuo HASEGAWA
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Kazutaka NAKAYAMA
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Katsuhiko IWAKIRI
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Emi AN
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Seiji GOMI
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Kazuo DAN
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School
Masao KATSUMATA
The Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School
Masayasu MINAMI
The Department of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School
Ichiji WAKABAYASHI
The Department of Internal Medicine, Nippon Medical School

Keywords: lead poisoning, herbal medicine, earthen teapot

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1997 Volume 36 Issue 1 Pages 56-58

DOI https://doi.org/10.2169/internalmedicine.36.56

Details

Abstract

A female patient visited our hospital with abdominal pain and anemia. Examination for a gastrointestinal disease gave no diagnostic information. Laboratory studies of the parameters of heme biosynthesis revealed an enzymatic inhibition by lead. The diagnosis of lead poisoning was confirmed by detection of an elevated blood lead level. Excessive lead ingestion was thought to be caused by herbal medicines and/or by an earthen teapot.
(Internal Medicine 36: 56-58, 1997)

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