EFFECTS OF LACTITOL ON HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY AND PLASMA AMINO-ACID IMBALANCE

Hepatic encephalopathy in liver cirrhosis is due to several factors, including amino acid imbalance and hyperammoniemia. Lactilol, a non adsorbable disaccharide, improves hepatic encephalopathy increasing bowel movements, modifying colonic bacteria and pH, and reducing blood ammonium. Ten patients with liver cirrhosis and longstanding stable hepatic encephalopathy were treated, after a period of drugs wash-out, with lactilol. A significant improvement of hepatic encephalopathy was observed, with a significant decrease of blood ammonium, related with the increase of stool frequency/day. Atrial natriuretic peptide decreased as well. Moreover, an increase of the ratio of plasma alifatic amino acids (valine, leucine and isoleucin)/aromatic amino acid (tyrosine and phenylalanine) was observed. Lactilol is an effective drug in the treatment of chronic hepatic encephalopathy; its mechanism of action involves not only a decrease of blood ammonium but also modifications of the degree of plasma amino acid imbalance, and fluid and circulatory adjustments.