Role of diabetes mellitus on hepatic encephalopathy.

Hepatic encephalopathy is the main cognitive dysfunction in cirrhotic patients associated with impaired prognosis. Hyperammonemia plus inflammatory response do play a crucial role on hepatic encephalopathy. However, in some patients HE appeared without hyperammonemia and patients with increased levels of ammonia could not show cognitive dysfunction.

Metformin inhibits glutaminase activity and protects against hepatic encephalopathy.

Aim: To investigate the influence of metformin use on liver dysfunction and hepatic encephalopathy in a retrospective cohort of diabetic cirrhotic patients. To analyze the impact of metformin on glutaminase activity and ammonia production in vitro.

Methods: Eighty-two cirrhotic patients with type 2 diabetes were included.

Brain biomolecules oxidation in portacaval-shunted rats.

Background: Oxidative stress induced by a high ammonia concentration has been suggested to be implicated in the pathophysiology of hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Therefore, oxidative damage of brain biomolecules could contribute towards explaining the neurological and motor alterations observed in HE.

Methods: Portacaval-shunted (PCS) rats (n = 5) were used as an animal model of chronic HE.