Rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure induced by paraphenylenediamine

1. We present a 40-year-old healthy man who developed a typical clinical picture of rhabdomyolysis following the administration of paraphenylenediamine by a witchdoctor as a pain killer. 2. Two groups of 15 mice were given paraphenylenediamine 70 mg/kg and 35 mg/kg respectively. Biochemical and histological findings of rhabdomyolysis developed in both groups, without kidney damage. 3. Paraphenylenediamine may cause rhabdomyolysis resulting in acute renal failure in humans. In mice, however, it produces rhabdomyolysis, but the kidneys are not affected.