Hiroshima Journal of Medical Sciences Volume 36 Issue 2
published_at 1987-06

Systemic Argyria Secondary to Breath Freshener "Jintan Silver Pills®"

SHIMAMOTO Yoriko
SHIMAMOTO Hiroyuki
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HiroshimaJMedSci_36_245.pdf
Abstract
A case of generalized argyria secondary to "Jintan Silver Pills® " is described. Jintan Silver Pills® are made of natural extracts and coated with silver, and they are very popular as one of the breath fresheners in Japan. The patient has extreme blue-gray pigmentation of her skin. Histopathologically, the fine black granules were present in greatest number in the basement membrane zone surrounding the sweat glands and scattered diffusely through the dermis. She has taken about five hundred Jintan Silver Pills® a day for nineteen years. Her total intake of silver was calculated to be about 350g, which can be sufficient for producing argyria.
Keywords
Argyria
Breath freshene
Jintan Silver Pills®