Amineptine induced liver injury. Report of two cases and brief review of the literature.

Two cases of amineptine induced liver injury in patients treated with the drug for 18 and 15 days respectively, are reported. Hepatic reaction lasted 60 days in the first case and 120 days in the second one, with the latter considered unusually prolonged. The patients history, the course of the reaction and the histologic findings were compatible with the diagnosis of drug induced liver disease in both cases. Furthermore, every other possible origin of hepatobiliary injury such as disorders of bile ducts, ongoing viral hepatitis and autoimmune hepatitis were excluded. The mechanism of amineptine induced liver injury and the influence of a possible genetic predisposition to amineptine hepatotoxicity are also discussed.