UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Black urine!

Category: Toxicology

Keywords: Black urine, toxicological cause (PubMed Search)

Posted: 9/24/2020 by Hong Kim, MD
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Question

 

What medication ingestion can lead to black urine?

 

Black urine due to cresol intoxication | Postgraduate Medical Journal

Answer

 

There are many medical disorder and ingestion that can lead to change in urine colors. 

Black discoloration of urine can be caused by:

Medication

  • Alpha-methyldopa
  • Cresol
  • Iron
  • Laxatives (cascara, senna)
  • L-dopa
  • Methocarbamol
  • Metronidazole
  • Nitrofurantoin
  • Sorbitol

Medical condition

  • Alcaptonuria
  • Metastatic melanoma
  • Pophyria

References

Aycock, RD et al. Abnormal Urine Color. Southern Medical Journal 2012;105;43-47.

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