Alternative pills may cause liver injury: AIIMS experts

New Delhi : Experts at AIIMS on Tuesday said that use of complementary and alternative medicines may cause varying degrees of liver injury.

Doctors said that sometimes they get patients who have a history of taking unknown alternative medicines which are non-certified or non-branded and prescribed by unregistered local practitioners which result in liver injury.

"The drugs prescribed by quacks at times contain heavy metals, steroids and other potentially hepatotoxic substances and consuming them leads to jaundice and at times even liver failure," said Dr Anoop Saraya, Head of Department of Gastroenterology at AIIMS.

"So people should avoid going to quacks and take medicines prescribed by registered practitioners.

Further, unmonitored and indiscriminate consumption of certain health supplements including body-building protein powders may lead to liver injury even among those with no liver diseases.

"So one should know the contents of such products before consuming them and should also consult a physician," said Dr Saraya. Dr Shalimar, Associate Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, said that use of common over-the-counter drugs which are generally considered safe may also damage the liver.

"Drugs used for treatment of tuberculosis, antibiotics, antiepileptic drugs, chemotherapy are also associated with liver injury," he said while referring to a study from AIIMS which reported 67 per cent deaths among patients with acute liver failure related to anti-tuberculosis drug.

Of all patients with this drug-related acute liver failure, 60 per cent were started on medicines without confirmed tuberculosis.

"It is very essential that self medication be avoided," he said. Dr Deepak Gunjan, Assistant Professor in the department at AIIMS, said that non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases are also on the rise in India and across the world.

Its overall global prevalence is around 24 per cent and in India, the reported prevalence is between 9-32 per cent from different parts of the country, he said.

"The prevalence of fatty liver disease increases in patients who are obese and those who have diabetes. The presence of NAFLD is associated with increased risk of heart diseases.

"The mainstay of treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is weight loss which can be achieved by eating a healthy balanced diet and regular exercise.

Need to avoid sweetened drinks, cola drinks, fruit juice containing fructose, butter, cream, excessive consumption of non-vegetarian food, and alcohol.