EFFECT OF ORAL SUPPLEMENTATION OF LACTOBACILLI ON BACTERIAL TRANSLOCATION IN ACUTE LIVER-INJURY INDUCED BY D-GALACTOSAMINE

Background/Aim: Bacterial infections and sepsis are frequent complicat ions of acute liver injury, with a high share in the mortality and mor bidity of this condition. Bacterial translocation from the gut may pla y an important role in the high rate of infections observed. In this e xperiment the effect of different oral supplementation on bacterial tr anslocation was evaluated in acute liver injury induced by D-galactosa mine in the rat. Methods: Rats were given oral supplements of lactulos e, neomycin, Lactobacillus reuteri R2LC, and Lactobacillus plantarum D SM 9843 for 1 week. Liver injury was induced by intraperitoneal admini stration of 1.1 g/kg D-galactosamine. Twenty-four hours later, rats we re sacrificed and liver enzymes and histology, intestinal bacterial co unt and microflora, intestinal mucosal histology, DNA and RNA content, bacterial translocation to blood, mesenteric lymph nodes, and liver, and serum endotoxin were studied or measured. Results: Lactulose was h ighly effective in prevention of liver injury and bacterial translocat ion. Neomycin and Lactobacillus plantarum DSM 9843 showed a moderate e ffect in prevention of liver injury and bacterial translocation. Intes tinal bacterial count and microflora were affected by different treatm ent modalities. No endotoxin concentration was found in any of the exp erimental groups. Both lactobacilli could significantly improve the mu cosal proliferative state. Conclusions: Oral supplementation of lactul ose with anti-endotoxin effect could successfully prevent the liver in jury and the subsequent bacterial translocation in acute liver injury induced by administration of D-galactosamine in the rat. This effect w as irrespective of the intestinal bacterial alteration or mucosal prol iferative state.