Successful treatment with danhong injection for hepatic veno-occlusive disease

Hepatic veno-occlusive disease (HVOD) is a clinical syndrome characterized as hepatomegaly, ascites, jaundice and elevation of hepatic enzymes as an outcome from fibrous obliteration of small centrilobular hepatic venules. It is recognized as a rare but life-threatening complication of organ transplantation, tumor eradication chemotherapy and is associated with haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Recent researches report that ingestion of plants which contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) is associated with the onset of HVOD with unclear pathogenesis. Nowadays, there is no effective therapeutic strategy for HVOD besides supportive care using diuretics or albumin. In our case, a 42-year-old woman administered a concoction of Chinese traditional medicine supposed to contain PAs, was found to develop HVOD confirmed by liver biopsy. A therapeutic strategy was developed using Danhong injection, accompanied with supportive care, and obtained a favorable response manifesting as regression of symptoms and decline of hepatic enzymes. Danhong injection, a Chinese medical product exerting a milder anticoagulation and antithrombotic effect, is beneficial to HVOD probably by promoting microcirculation, ameliorating liver function and inhibiting hepatic fibrosis.