Drug and toxin-induced bile duct disorders

Various drugs of toxins have been implicated in the development of a partic ular form of liver damage predominantly involving the bile ducts. Such live r toxicity is often associated with a clinical picture of prolonged cholest asis and may even evolve in rare instances, into the full picture of the va nishing bile duct syndrome, eventually complicated with biliary cirrhosis. Drug and toxins potentially responsible for bile duct injury are reviewed a s well as the characteristics of its clinical presentation The pathophysiol ogic aspects of the syndrome are also reviewed including recent data, which are strongly in favor of the role of a genetic predisposition. (C) 2000 Bl ackwell Science Asia Pty Ltd.