Jaundice: Should the Drugs be Used ?

Jaundice is a symptom of a liver disease wherein the level of a yellow colored pigment called bilirubin increases in blood. The cause of jaundice may be infectious, pathological, obstructive or therapeutic. However, the most prevalent cause of jaundice is due to viral infection. Till 1940 this disease was considered catarrhal (catarrhal jaundice), due to catarrh of bile passages responsible for transporting bile from the liver to the intestine. It was during World War-II (1939-1945), the attending physicians discovered that the disease is due to some infection; and it was labeled as 'infectious hepatitis'. Many soldiers died due to infectious hepatitis during the World War-II. It was also observed during the period of war that there are two viruses infecting the soldiers with relatively shorter and longer incubation periods.

Now, these hepatitis viruses are called hepatitis virus-A and hepatitis virus-B. We can accurately diagnose the cause of jaundice and classify the causative virus. Hepatitis-B is severer of the two. Disease is transmitted not only through transfusion of infected blood or blood products but also through saliva, tears, breast milk, and seminal fluid and rarely by feces and urine of the patient.

Fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, joint and muscle pains, cough, coryza and headache may precede for one to two weeks preceding the onset of jaundice. Dark colored urine and light colored stools are other visible signs in addition to yellow coloration of eyes. There may be pain in the upper right quadrant of tummy along with discomfort in the tummy. Progress of recovery is very encouraging in cases of Hepatitis-A.


The medical management in cases of viral hepatitis/jaundice is just symptomatic and maintenance of nutrition is taken care of in these patients. There is no specific treatment for viral hepatitis/jaundice. Restriction of physical activity is advisable. A high calorie diet is generally recommended but special care is required in diabetics. Drugs should be avoided to avoid adverse effect on the liver. Patient should be isolated to a room (and a bathroom too) and routine hygiene measures should be observed. Serious patients should be hospitalized.