Clofazimine side effects

The most disturbing adverse reaction to clofazimine is a red-brown discoloration of the skin, especially in light-skinned persons. A rare but serious adverse reaction is acute abdominal pain significant enough to warrant exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy. Other infrequent side effects include splenic infarction, bowel obstruction, paralytic ileus, and upper GI bleeding. 

Ramu G, Iyer GG. Side effects of clofazimine therapy. Lepr India 1976 48(Suppl 4) 722-31. 

Lai S, Garg BR, Hameedulla A. Gastro-intestinal side effects of clofazimine. Lepr India 1981 53(2) 285-8. 

Gastrointestinal side effects, nausea, diarrhoea, anorexia, constipation and weight loss have also been reported (Hastings et al., 1976 Moore, 1983). These symptoms have been associated with the deposition of clofazimine crystals in the submucosa of the small intestine and in the mesenteric lymph nodes (Jopling, 1976 Harvey et al., 1977). 

Ockner RK (1979) Drug-induced liver disease. West J Med 131 36 Ohman L, Wahlberg I (1975) Ocular side-effects of clofazimine. Lancet 11 933 Ogilvie AL, Toghill PJ (1980) Cholestatic jaundice due to co-trimoxazole. Postgrad Med J 56 202... 

Ohman, L. and Wahiberg, I. (1975) Ocular side-effects of clofazimine. Lancet, 2,933. 

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