Biomaterial Database

Lactulose inhibits endotoxin induced tumour necrosis factor production by monocytes. An in vitro study. 1990

J W Greve, and D J Gouma, and P A von Leeuwen, and W A Buurman

Department of Surgery, University of Limburg, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Preoperative oral treatment with lactulose is used to prevent complications after surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice. The effect is perhaps the result of an inactivation of gut derived endotoxins but the exact mechanism of action is, however, unknown. Tumour necrosis factor is an important mediator of endotoxin toxicity. The cytokine tumour necrosis factor is mainly produced by mononuclear phagocytes. In this study, the effect of lactulose on the endotoxin induced tumour necrosis factor release by monocytes was investigated. The direct effect of lactulose on endotoxin was tested in a chromogenic limulus amoebocyte lysate assay. Polymyxin B a known inactivator of endotoxin was used as control in both experiments. Lactulose has a limited capacity to inactivate endotoxin as measured in the endotoxin assay. In contrast lactulose significantly reduced endotoxin induced tumour necrosis factor production by monocytes. In conclusion lactulose inhibits tumour necrosis factor production by a direct inhibitory effect on monocytes, rather than by inactivation of endotoxin. Because tumour necrosis factor is an important mediator of endotoxin toxicity, this inhibitory effect could explain the beneficial effect of lactulose in obstructive jaundice.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007792	Lactulose	A synthetic disaccharide used in the treatment of constipation and hepatic encephalopathy. It has also been used in the diagnosis of gastrointestinal disorders. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p887)	Amivalex,Duphalac,Normase
D009000	Monocytes	Large, phagocytic mononuclear leukocytes produced in the vertebrate BONE MARROW and released into the BLOOD; contain a large, oval or somewhat indented nucleus surrounded by voluminous cytoplasm and numerous organelles.	Monocyte
D011112	Polymyxin B	A mixture of polymyxins B1 and B2, obtained from BACILLUS POLYMYXA strains. They are basic polypeptides of about eight amino acids and have cationic detergent action on cell membranes. Polymyxin B is used for treatment of infections with gram-negative bacteria, but may be neurotoxic and nephrotoxic.	Aerosporin,Polymyxin B Sulfate
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004187	Disaccharides	Oligosaccharides containing two monosaccharide units linked by a glycosidic bond.	Disaccharide
D004731	Endotoxins	Toxins closely associated with the living cytoplasm or cell wall of certain microorganisms, which do not readily diffuse into the culture medium, but are released upon lysis of the cells.	Endotoxin
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013402	Sugar Alcohols	Polyhydric alcohols having no more than one hydroxy group attached to each carbon atom. They are formed by the reduction of the carbonyl group of a sugar to a hydroxyl group. (From Dorland, 28th ed)	Alcohols, Sugar,Alditol,Sugar Alcohol,Alditols,Alcohol, Sugar
D013755	Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate	A phorbol ester found in CROTON OIL with very effective tumor promoting activity. It stimulates the synthesis of both DNA and RNA.	Phorbol Myristate Acetate,12-Myristoyl-13-acetylphorbol,12-O-Tetradecanoyl Phorbol 13-Acetate,Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate, 4a alpha-Isomer,12 Myristoyl 13 acetylphorbol,12 O Tetradecanoyl Phorbol 13 Acetate,13-Acetate, 12-O-Tetradecanoyl Phorbol,Acetate, Phorbol Myristate,Acetate, Tetradecanoylphorbol,Myristate Acetate, Phorbol,Phorbol 13-Acetate, 12-O-Tetradecanoyl,Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate, 4a alpha Isomer
D014409	Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha	Serum glycoprotein produced by activated MACROPHAGES and other mammalian MONONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTES. It has necrotizing activity against tumor cell lines and increases ability to reject tumor transplants. Also known as TNF-alpha, it is only 30% homologous to TNF-beta (LYMPHOTOXIN), but they share TNF RECEPTORS.	Cachectin,TNF-alpha,Tumor Necrosis Factor Ligand Superfamily Member 2,Cachectin-Tumor Necrosis Factor,TNF Superfamily, Member 2,TNFalpha,Tumor Necrosis Factor,Cachectin Tumor Necrosis Factor,Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha