Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 9, 2026

Dietary Supplementation of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Caenorhabditis elegans
Published on: November 29, 2013
Hepatotoxicity induced by paclitaxel interaction with turmeric in association with a microcystin from a contaminated
Maria Luísa Costa1, José A Rodrigues2, Joana Azevedo3
1Observatory of Herb-Drug Interactions/Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Coimbra, Portugal.
Abstract:
A 67-year-old Caucasian male with lung cancer was presented to the Emergency Department with asthenia, anorexia, jaundice and choluria. The patient's lung cancer was being treated medically by a combination of paclitaxel/carboplatin with bi-monthly frequency. The patient was also self-medicating with several natural products, including Chlorella (520 mg/day), Silybum marianum (total of 13.5 mg silymarin/day), zinc sulphate (5.5 mg), selenium (50 μg) and 15 g/day of Curcuma longa. In first chemotherapy cycle no toxicity was observed even he was taking other medications as budesonide and sitagliptin. The toxic events started only after the introduction of the dietary products. Chlorella had contamination with cyanobacteria (Oscillatoriales) and 1.08 μg of cyanotoxin Microcystin-LR (MC-LR) per gram of biomass was found. Patient was consuming ca 0.01 μg MC-LR/kg/day. This case report describes the first known case of paclitaxel toxicity probably related to pharmacokinetic interaction with Turmeric and a contaminated Chlorella supplement resulting in an acute toxic hepatitis and the impact on oncologic patient health.
More Related Videos
07:33Therapeutic Effectiveness of a Dietary Supplement for Management of Halitosis in Dogs
Published on: July 6, 2015
09:32Drug-Induced Senescence in Liver Cells Promotes M2 Macrophage Polarization: Implications for Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor-Associated Hepatotoxicity
Published on: October 17, 2025
Related Concept Videos
Dietary Connections
Contaminants and Errors
Another key consideration is determining the appropriate number of samples required to...
Proteins: Dietary Sources and Requirements
Associative Learning
Classical conditioning, also known...
Association Areas of the Cortex
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Carbohydrates: Dietary Sources and Requirements