Korean J Gastrointest Endosc > Volume 10(1); 1990 > Article

Korean Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 1990;10(1): 85-88.

Melanosis Coli 1예 ( A Case of Melanosis Coli )

이상주, 한광협, 이상인, 박인서, 최흥재, 주희재, 박찬일 (Sang Joo Lee, Kwang Hyub Han, Sang In Lee, In Suh Park, Hueng Jai Choi, Hee Jae Joo and Chan Il Park)

Abstract

Melanosis coli is the brownish pigmentation of the colon associted with the ingestion of anthraquinone compounds as iaxatives. The brownish discoloration of the colon mucosa is due to accumulation of macrophage containing lipofuscin pigment in the lamina propria. This is the one of the complications of laxative abuse, but the pigments disappear by withdrawing the anthraquinone. We report a case of malanosis coli histologically confirmed by fibersigmoidoscopic biopsy in a 70-year-old female patient consuming anthraquinone compound for twelve months with a review of the literature.