[A case of severe methacycline damage to the liver and bone marrow]

A case of a male patient with bronchopneumonia incorrectly treated for a long time with methacycline (rondomycin), an oxytetracycline drug, is reported. methacycline was applied in a dose of 8 capsules daily (2 capsules 4 times) in the course of 2 1/2 months, the total dose amounting to about 150 g. The patient developed severe toxic hepatitis as a result of this incorrect treatment. The hepatitis was manifested by jaundice and cytolysis. The bone marrow was also affected--hypoplasia marked by combined depression of leuko-, erythro- and thrombopoiesis and peripheral pancytopenia. In addition chloramphenicol treatment was applied which increased the toxic impairment of the liver and the bone marrow. The liver and bone marrow impairment are most probably due to the direct toxic action of methacycline applied for a very long time in an unusually high dose.