Acute cholestatic hepatitis associated with teucrium polium

ABSTRACT

Diabetes mellitus [DM] is a metabolic disorder resulting from a defect in Insulin secretion, insulin action or both. Despite the fact that it has a worldwide high prevalence, morbidity and mortality, it is regarded as a non-curable but controllable disease. In addition to different synthetic drugs, plant remedies and dietary traditions play an effective role in treatment. Teucrium polium L. is one of the 300 species of the genus Teucrium and found mainly in the Mediterranean and Western Irano- Turanian sphere. It is widely distributed in Jordan and Palestine. The leaves, 1-3 cm long, are sessile, oblong or linear, the stems are ending in shortly paniculate or corymbose inflorescences, and corolla is white or pale cream colored. This case describes a 74year old man with diabetes since 20 years. He was treated by glibenclamide 5mg/day. He stopped this drug and started daily consumption of tea containing the medicinal plant, teucrium polium. One month after initiation of this therapy, he developed an acute icteric hepatitis like illness. After 8 weeks, the patient recovered clinically and bilirubin, ALT and AST levels were normal