title: Scyllo-inositol depletion in hepatic encephalopathy.
abstract: Cerebral myo-inositol depletion is found in patients with hepatic encephalopathy and can be implicated in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy. We measured scyllo-inositol, a stereoisomer of myo-inositol, in brain extracts from patients dying in hepatic coma using HPLC and high resolution 1H MRS. The cerebral scyllo-inositol concentration, determined by both methods, in patients without hepatic encephalopathy was 0.41 +/- 0.11 mmol/kg wet weight. It decreased by 73% and 76%, respectively, as measured by HPLC and 1H MRS, in patients with hepatic encephalopathy. These findings indicate that myo-inositol depletion in patients with hepatic encephalopathy is not due to enhanced conversion of myo-inositol to scyllo-inositol or inhibition of myo-inositol transport by scyllo-inositol, but rather to the reduced biosynthesis or transport of both inositols.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson 85724.
authors.forename: Y H
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lien
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Michaelis
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Moats
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Ross
mesh_terms: D001344:Autopsy; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007294:Inositol / Q000032:analysis / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D013237:Stereoisomerism
chemical_list: C009217:scyllitol; D007294:Inositol