A 58-year-old man with a history of hemorrhoidectomy and chronic constipation presented for routine surveillance colonoscopy. He took an over-the-counter herbal laxative containing senna for constipation. The rectal mucosa showed a brownish discoloration in a moire pattern, characteristic of melanosis coli. Advancing beyond the rectum, the full circumference of colonic mucosa turned jet black i...

curic chloride (HgCl 2) is a white, crystalline, heavy and poisonous powder that is used in antiseptics, antifungal and anti-parasite materials (Reynolds, Parfitt, & Parson, 1993). It also has been used in composition of beauty creams, laxative drugs and contrast materials. It can absorb from skin and gastrointestinal tract and excreted by kidneys (Pejomand, Jalali, Aghdasi, & A.A., 1995). Affe...

thepossible laxative and prokinetic effects of bitter almond were studied: 1- two groups of 7 rats were gavaged with ethanol extract of bitter almond (500mg/kg) or placebo and the number of feces, fecal weight and its percentage of water were studied 18-24h thereafter. 2- ethanol extract of bitter almond (125 or 250mg/ml), lactulose (as positive control) or placebo was randomly injected into je...