Exogenous nail and skin pigmentation associated with the artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.)

Abstract

Background Nail dyschromia occurs for various reasons and presents with different clinical appearances. Exogenous causes, such as occupational agents, trauma, and infection can cause discoloration in the nail. Aims Reports of pigmentation on skin and nails caused by contact with plants are very rare. Here, we report the development of artichoke-related brown discoloration in the nails and fingers of a patient seasonally employed in cleaning and peeling artichokes and briefly discuss its possible mechanism. Patients The clinical features and cause of brown pigmentation on the all nails in a man are presented. Results In our patient, seasonally recurrent brown nail and skin pigmentation occurred secondary to exogenous contact with the artichoke. We consider that when our patient cut or peeled the head and leaves of the artichoke, the pigments formed by the enzymatic browning mechanism caused discoloration in his skin and skin appendages upon contact. Conclusions With this paper, we have contributed a new cause of exogenous nail pigmentation to the literature.