RT Journal
A1 Duncan DA, Fleeson W
T1 REserpine-induced gastrointestinal hemorrhage
JF Journal of the American Medical Association
JO Journal of the American Medical Association
YR 1959
FD August 1
VO 170
IS 14
SP 1661
OP 1662
DO 10.1001/jama.1959.63010140001011
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1959.63010140001011
AB It is well recognized that reserpine, the crystalline alkaloid of Rauwolfia serpentina, can produce such undesirable effects as mental depression or Parkinsonism. An equally severe, but less well known, complication is acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Some patients in whom this has occurred have had a previous ulcer history,1 whereas others have not.2 Hollister2a reports hematemesis in a patient given 25 mg. of reserpine intramuscularly and 9 mg. orally over a five-day period. There had been no history suggesting peptic ulcer, and x-ray studies revealed only a hiatal hernia and enlarged rugae, no ulceration.Lesser amounts for longer periods can produce the same results. Gailitis and co-workers2b describe three cases of acute gastrointestinal bleeding resulting from administration of 0.5 to 1.0 mg. of reserpine per day for 6 to 24 months in patients without any previous gastrointestinal disturbance. "Barium swallow" in two cases showed no pathology, but