title: Effects of ornithine alphaketoglutarate on blood insulin, glucagon and aminoacids in alcoholic cirrhosis.
abstract: After summing up existing theories about the origins and development of functional hepatic encephalopathy, the authors report on the effects of six-hour intravenous infusions of ornithine alphaketoglutarate (60 g dissolved in 500 ml distilled water), administered to 10 patients with ethylic hepatic cirrhosis in conjunction with a normal protein intake (70 g/day). Arterial blood ammonemia, venous blood aminoacidemia and the insulin/glucagon ratio did not vary during or after infusion. This method of treatment therefore seems to meet the protein requirements of these undernourished patients.
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D000641:Ammonia / Q000097:blood; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008104:Liver Cirrhosis, Alcoholic / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009952:Ornithine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D007328:Insulin; D007656:Ketoglutaric Acids; D000641:Ammonia; D005934:Glucagon; D009952:Ornithine