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The influence of phenolphthalein on the liver

  • Published:
The American Journal of Digestive Diseases

Summary

The effect of the ingestion of phenolphthalein in therapeutic doses on the liver was investigated.

  1. (a)

    The study of the history of 300 cases of jaundice failed to show an etiologic role of phenolphthalein.

  2. (b)

    The administration of phenolphthalein to 120 jaundiced patients did not change the clinical picture and did not interfere with recovery.

  3. (c)

    Phenolphthalein administered to 425 non-jaundiced patients did not produce jaundice.

  4. (d)

    Periodic liver function tests on 12 patients with chronic constipation, taking 0.30 Gm. of white or 0.12 Gm. of yellow phenolphthalein, daily, for months, did not reveal signs of liver damage.

Our study indicates that phenolphthalein, in larger than usual therapeutic doses, is not harmful to the liver.

These results are supported by the fact that a critical review of the literature has failed to disclose cases of liver damage following the ingestion of phenolphthalein, notwithstanding its extensive use as a laxative.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics and the Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Illinois, Chicago, Illinois

    Bernard Fantus, Frederick Steigmann & J. M. Dyniewicz

  2. Department of Therapeutics and Internal Medicine, Cook County Hospital, Chicago, Illinois

    Bernard Fantus, Frederick Steigmann & J. M. Dyniewicz

Authors
  1. Bernard Fantus
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  2. Frederick Steigmann
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  3. J. M. Dyniewicz
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Fantus, B., Steigmann, F. & Dyniewicz, J.M. The influence of phenolphthalein on the liver. Jour. D. D. 8, 176–179 (1941). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02998286

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02998286

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