Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
Liver Toxicity Overview
When the liver’s function becomes compromised through the ingestion of prescription or over-the-counter drugs, herbal supplements with unknown anatomical effects, exposure to chemicals and solvents, alcohol consumption, or genetics, the patient is said to have liver toxicity. Liver toxicity is also known by alternate names, according to WebMD, such as toxic hepatitis, hepatotoxicity, and toxic liver disease.
The liver is the largest organ in the body and has an equally significant job to do. Its major anatomical assignment is to filter substances that wind up in your blood through deliberate ingestion or exposure. It helps to process this waste and convert it in such a way so the body can easily dispose of it through urine output.
Symptoms
The degree of liver toxicity runs along a continuum from mild to severe. Because of this wide range, the degree of felt symptoms can also be slightly annoying to life-threatening. Depending upon the cause of the liver compromise, effects can also slowly develop and build or be felt within a very short time, after taking a particular drug for example. In the case of the latter, it is much easier to pinpoint the problematic substance.
A person experiencing hepatotoxicity, might experience slight nausea, moderate stomach pain, or all-out vomiting. As with any condition affecting the gastrointestinal tract, it is likely the desire for food will diminish and if prolonged, weight loss will follow. A change in bowel habits is also not uncommon. A patient might have stool discoloration from brown to gray or white. They might have frequent diarrhea.
Other signs of toxic hepatitis, as indicated by WedMD, include persistent fever, frequent headaches, and yellow discoloration of the eyes, skin. Discoloration can also be noted with the urine, which can turn dark. Finally, the person may experience overall skin itching.
Specific Causes
It’s not always possible to determine the cause of toxic liver disease as there are many environmental substances we are exposed to in the modern world. There are also many OTC drugs at our fingertips which can be taken in inappropriate doses. As indicated by Merck Manuals.com, the most common cause in the U.S. is acetaminophen poisoning. Acetaminophen is sold generically and under the brand name Tylenol.
A class of drugs known as statins, used to treat high blood cholesterol conditions, have also been implicated in hepatotoxicity. These can ramp up the levels of certain liver enzymes that cause minor damage to the organ.
Another prescription drug, amiodarone, has been linked to hepatotoxicity or liver toxicity. Amiodarone, sold under the brand names Cordarone, Pacerone, and Nexterone, is used to treat certain types of irregular heartbeats. Amiodarone has also been linked with other side effects.
Finally, an unsuspected source can be herbal supplements which we assume to always be benign. Known culprits are Pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are in borage, comfrey, groomwell, coltsfoot, liferoot, and eupatorium. There are many others as well.
Treatment
The best treatment for liver issues stemming from the ingestion of OTC and prescription drugs, as well as herbal supplements is to stop taking in the offender if it is known. If there is an antidote for it, this can sometimes be given during emergency treatment at a medical center. In the case of acetaminophen poisoning, acetylcysteine can be administered to the patient.
According to the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, the liver can regenerate its own damaged cells and not merely replace them with scar tissue. This makes the organ anatomically unique. While it can repair damage, at times the true offender is missed and continues to assault the body and overwhelms the system. When this happens, the diseased condition can progress to cirrhosis and lead to the eventual demise of the individual.
