Rifaximin, but not growth factor 1, reduces brain edema in cirrhotic rats.

AIM: To compare rifaximin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 treatment of hyperammonemia and brain edema in cirrhotic rats with portal occlusion.

METHODS

Rats with CCl₄-induced cirrhosis with ascites plus portal vein occlusion and controls were randomized into six groups: Cirrhosis; Cirrhosis + IGF-1; Cirrhosis + rifaximin; Controls; Controls + IGF-1; and Controls + rifaximin. An oral glutamine-challenge test was performed, and plasma and cerebral ammonia, glucose, bilirubin, transaminases, endotoxemia, brain water content and ileocecal cultures were measured and liver histology was assessed.

RESULTS

Rifaximin treatment significantly reduced bacterial overgrowth and endotoxemia compared with cirrhosis groups, and improved some liver function parameters (bilirubin, alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase). These effects were associated with a significant reduction in cerebral water content. Blood and cerebral ammonia levels, and area-under-the-curve values for oral glutamine-challenge tests were similar in rifaximin-treated cirrhotic rats and control group animals. By contrast, IGF-1 administration failed to improve most alterations observed in cirrhosis.

CONCLUSION

By reducing gut bacterial overgrowth, only rifaximin was capable of normalizing plasma and brain ammonia and thereby abolishing low-grade brain edema, alterations associated with hepatic encephalopathy.