Acute hepatitis after tetrahydroaminoacridine administration for Alzheimer's disease

J Clin Gastroenterol. 1990 Jun;12(3):329-31. doi: 10.1097/00004836-199006000-00021.

Abstract

Tetrahydroaminoacridine administration has been proposed as a treatment for Alzheimer's disease. Although recent studies have shown that tetrahydroaminoacridine administration can be associated with mild or moderate liver dysfunction, to our knowledge, no case of symptomatic hepatitis with severe liver lesions has heretofore been reported. We describe a patient who developed jaundice after receiving tetrahydroaminoacridine for three weeks. Histologic examination showed extensive hepatocellular necrosis. Tetrahydroaminoacridine withdrawal was followed by the disappearance of jaundice within a few days and complete recovery within 5 weeks. This case shows that tetrahydroaminoacridine administration can induce marked liver cell necrosis resulting in symptomatic acute hepatitis.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Aminoacridines / adverse effects*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / etiology*
  • Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / pathology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver / pathology
  • Necrosis
  • Tacrine / adverse effects*

Substances

  • Aminoacridines
  • Tacrine