Admin_NHT Staff asked 6 years ago Melanosis, also referred to as melanosis coli refers to the brownish-black pigmentation of the wall of the bowel with lipofuscin (a wear and tear pigment of the body). It is a harmless or benign condition that is most commonly associated with chronic laxative use. Laxatives are commonly used by persons having constipation. They increase the colonic motility and help in the evacuation of the large bowel. It does not produce any symptoms in the patients and is thus an accidental finding during a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy. It is a modality used for diagnosing conditions like rectal bleeding, polyps, rectal cancers, etc). It is a reversible condition and within 6 months to a year of stopping the laxative use, the normal bowel pigmentation(pink) is regained.