Table 2.
Summary of the cases reported in the literature on hepatotoxicity by glucosamine and/or chondroitin sulfate
| Ref. | Age (yr) Sex (F/M) | Drugconsumed | Length of consumption | Latency | Jaundice | Peak in AST/ALT (IU/L) | Hypersensitivity | Hepatic failure | Follow-up |
| Ossendza et al[4] | 52/M | Glucosamine | 3 wk | 4 wk | Yes | 263/63 | Pruritus, eosinophilia | No | Complete recovery |
| Smith et al[5] | 64/M | Glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate | 4 wk | 5 wk | Yes | -/1461 | - | Yes | Death |
| 57/F | Glucosamine | 4 wk | 5 wk | Yes | -/1130 | Pruriginous rash | No | Chronic hepatitis | |
| 55/F | Glucosamine | 6 mo | 8 mo | No | -/175 | - | No | Complete recovery | |
| Linnebur et al[6] | 71/F | Glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate | 7 wk | 3 wk | No | 600-700/ 00-500 | - | No | Complete recovery |
| 85/F | Glucosamine/chondroitin sulfate | 3 wk | 3 wk | No | 54/37 | - | No | Complete recovery | |
| Authors’ cases | 71/F | Glucosamine | 1 yr | NA | No | 182/282 | - | No | Liver tests return to pretreatment (basal) values |
| 77/F | Glucosamine | 3 mo | NA | No | 161/162 | Pruriginous rash | No | Liver tests return to (basa) values |
M: Male; F: Female; AST/ALT: Aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase; NA: Not available.