Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Pigmentation, Drugs Associated

  • Living reference work entry
  • First Online:
Encyclopedia of Pathology

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Pathology ((EP))

  • 61 Accesses

Definition

An expanding number of medications have been implicated as a cause of oral pigmentation. The discoloration of the oral mucosa results from the deposition of drug metabolites or the stimulation of melanocytes by medications.

Oral pigmentations have been associated with use of phenolphthalein, minocycline, tranquilizers (chlorpromazine), antimalarial medications (chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, quinidine, quinacrine), estrogen, and chemotherapeutic agents (doxorubicin, busulfan, cyclophosphamide, 5-fluorouracil). Some medications used in the treatment of AIDS may give increased melanin pigmentation (zidovudine, clofazimine, ketoconazole) (Lerman et al. 2009; Martin and Sharp 2004; Treister et al. 2004; Zelickson and Rogers 1986). Imatinib, a tyrosine-kinase inhibitor used for the treatment of several malignancies, including chronic myeloid leukemia and gastrointestinal stroma tumor (GIST) usually associated with skin hypopigmentation, may also cause skin and/or oral...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

References and Further Reading

  • Bombeccari, G. P., Garagiola, U., Pallotti, F., Rossi, M., Porrini, M., Gianni, A. B., & Spadari, F. (2017). Hyperpigmentation of the hard palate mucosa in a patient with chronic myeloid leukaemia taking imatinib. Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 39, 37–42.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Lerman, M. A., Karimbux, N., Guze, K. A., & Woo, S. B. (2009). Pigmentation of the hard palate. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics, 107, 8–12.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Martin, T. J. M., & Sharp, I. (2004). Oral mucosal pigmentation secondary to treatment with mepacrine, with sparing of the denture bearing area. British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 42, 351–353.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Treister, N. S., Magalnick, D., & Woo, S. B. (2004). Oral mucosal pigmentation secondary to minocycline therapy: Report of two cases and a review of the literature. Oral Surgery, Oral Medicine, Oral Pathology, Oral Radiology, and Endodontics, 97, 18–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zelickson, B. D., & Rogers, R. S. (1986). Drug reactions involving the mouth. Clinics in Dermatology, 4, 98–109.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pathology, Antoni van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jacqueline E. van der Wal

Authors
  1. Jacqueline E. van der Wal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jacqueline E. van der Wal .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. NIJMEGEN, The Netherlands

    J.H.J.M. van Krieken

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2018 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

van der Wal, J.E. (2018). Pigmentation, Drugs Associated. In: van Krieken, J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pathology. Encyclopedia of Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_765-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-28845-1_765-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-28845-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation