title: Lactulose--a drug with antiendotoxin effect.
abstract: Lactulose (beta-galactosido-fructose) was found to have anti-endotoxin properties: 670 mg lactulose abolished the gelating activity of mg E. coli endotoxin on Limulus lysate in vitro. When lactulose was fed to rats (6.3 +/- 1.1 g/kg/day) over a period of 4 or 8 days before i.v. administration of 0.5 g/kg galactosamine, the liver damage that normally develops was prevented. Since galactosamine-induced necrosis of hepatocytes and inflammatory reaction of the liver are mediated by systemic endotoxemia of intestinal origin, an anti-endotoxin effect of lactulose was demonstrated in vivo. We suggest that lactulose might offer a therapeutic basis in clinical situations in which endotoxemia is of pathogenetic significance, such as certain gastrointestinal and liver diseases, shock states and gram-negative sepsis.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000992:Antitoxins; D056486:Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury / Q000517:prevention & control; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004187:Disaccharides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D004926:Escherichia coli; D005688:Galactosamine / Q000009:adverse effects; D007792:Lactulose / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008033:Limulus Test; D008099:Liver / Q000473:pathology; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D051381:Rats; D014115:Toxemia / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000992:Antitoxins; D004187:Disaccharides; D004731:Endotoxins; D007792:Lactulose; D005688:Galactosamine