OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy of lactulose in patients with minimal hepatic encephalopathy (MHE). METHODS Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing lactulose with placebo or with no intervention in the management of MHE that were conducted from January 1990 to July 2011 were searched from MEDLINE, EMBASE, SCI, Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, and China Biological Medicin...

BACKGROUND Constipation is a common complaint in adults. Lactitol is an osmotic disaccharide laxative that increases fecal volume and stimulates peristalsis. In this paper, we present the first meta-analysis on the efficacy and tolerance of lactitol for adult constipation. METHODS We searched MEDLINE(®) and Embase, with no date or language restrictions, for studies of lactitol supplementation...

The effects of a chronic load of nonabsorbable sugars on intracolonic bacterial metabolism of carbohydrates and on H2 breath excretion are disputed. However, most of the discussion relies on indirect evidence or on results of in vitro studies. Thus, we attempted to assess directly and in vivo the effects on intracolonic metabolism of lactulose of a chronic oral load of this nonabsorbable disacc...

Neomycin and lactulose are thought to exert their influence on hepatic coma exclusively by interfering with the bacterial flora, but our results suggest a potential additional effect, namely interference with glutamine-dependent non-bacterial ammonia production.9 This glutamine-dependent ammonia production may exceed by far the bacterial ammonia production. We suggest that the mechanism of acti...

Cerebral blood flow and cerebral metabolism were studied in six patients with moderately severe portosystemic encephalopathy before and after a 10-day course of lactulose. As a result of therapy there was a mean increase in cerebral oxygen utilization but no changes in either mean glucose consumption or in mean cerebral blood flow. It appears therefore that the abnormalities in cerebral metabol...

The effects of a chronic load of nonabsorbable sugars on intracolonic bacterial metabolism of carbohydrates and on H2 breath excretion are disputed. However, most of the discussion relies on indirect evidence or on results of in vitro studies. Thus, we attempted to assess directly and in vivo the effects on intracolonic metabolism of lactulose of a chronic oral load of this nonabsorbable disacc...

cases with hirschsprung’s disease show the functional intestinal obstruction. obstruction in these patients may lead to bacterial overgrowth with stasis and inflammation of the colon. bacterial overgrowth can cause hyperammonemia that makes lethargy and loss of conscious and finally admitting in icu. the purpose of this case report is to present a case that had hirschsprung’s disease and referr...

Using a pH-sensitive radiotelemetering device the effect of lactulose on luminal pH in the ileum, colon, and rectum has been compared with that of two other laxative agents. Lactulose produced marked acidification of proximal colonic contents but this effect was not consistently maintained into the distal colon. Sodium sulphate acidified distal rather than proximal colonic contents. However, fo...

The lactulose/L-rhamnose urinary excretion ratio during continued infusion of milks containing both sugars was used as an index of the permeability of the neonatal bowel to large and small molecules. Healthy infants of gestational age 31-36 weeks proved to have a period of enhanced permeability to lactulose during the first week of life, the lactulose/L-rhamnose excretion ratio being significan...

The functional integrity of the small bowel is impaired in coeliac disease. Intestinal permeability, as measured by the sugar absorption test probably reflects this phenomenon. In the sugar absorption test a solution of lactulose and mannitol was given to the fasting patient and the lactulose/mannitol ratio measured in urine collected over a period of five hours. The sugar absorption test was p...