Lactulose as an antiendotoxin in experimental colitis

Abstract
The efficacy of lactulose as an antiendotoxin was studied and the effect of lactulose or colistin on faecal flora was investigated in a hapten-induced rat model of colitis. Enteral administration of lactulose to rats with colitis was associated with a significant reduction in the systemic concentration of endotoxin (median (range) 5.4 (0–19.9) versus 23.7 (0–145.0) pg/ml in colitic rats treated with water; 4.6 (0–10.8) pg/ml in healthy animals). Enteral administration of colistin significantly reduced the faecal count of aerobic Gram-negative bacilli (median (range) 2.84 (1.40–8.43) versus 8.26 (4.50–10.40) log10 colony-forming units per g faeces after treatment with water) but not the faecal load of endotoxin. Patients with inflammatory bowel disease may benefit from enteral treatment with lactulose to prevent systemic endotoxaemia and/or with colistin to modify enteric bacteria.
Funding Information
  • Eastern Health and Social Services Board, Northern Ireland