Prostaglandin E1 improves hepatic encephalopathy produced by ischaemia-reperfusion liver injury in rats.

Abstract

To investigate the action of prostaglandin E1 on hepatic encephalopathy. Prospective, randomised, controlled animal study. University animal laboratory. Male Wistar rats. After passive avoidance learning, acute liver failure was induced by occlusion of the left portal vein and the hepatic artery for 90 min. Then memory retention was evaluated 48 h later. The effects of prostaglandin E1 on memory retention were examined in animals treated with the agent systemically (intravenous injections with prostaglandin E1 twice before and after surgery, 20 microg/kg each time) and animals treated with the agent topically (intracerebroventricular injection with prostaglandin E1, 0.1 microg/h for 48 h beginning at liver ischaemia). Marked damage was found on plasma analysis in animals subjected to liver ischaemia, and the memory retention was also impaired. Intravenous administration of prostaglandin E1 improved both the liver injury and memory retention. However, intracerebroventricular administration of prostaglandin E1 alleviated neither. These findings show that prostaglandin E1 contributes to the amelioration of hepatic encephalopathy by improving liver function.