Generlac

For the prevention and treatment of portal-systemic encephalopathy, including the stages of hepatic pre-coma and coma.

Controlled studies have shown that lactulose solution therapy reduces the blood ammonia levels by 25 to 50%; this is generally paralleled by an improvement in the patients' mental state and by an improvement in EEG patterns. The clinical response has been observed in about 75% of patients, which is at least as satisfactory as that resulting from neomycin therapy. An increase in patients' protein tolerance is also frequently observed with lactulose solution therapy. In the treatment of chronic portal-systemic encephalopathy, lactulose solution has been given for over 2 years in controlled studies.

Adult

The usual adult oral dosage is 2 to 3 tablespoonfuls (30 to 45 mL, containing 20 g to 30 g of Generlac Solution) three or four times daily. The dosage may be adjusted every day or two to produce 2 or 3 soft stools daily.

Hourly doses of 30 to 45 mL of Generlac Solution may be used to induce the rapid laxation indicated in the initial phase of the therapy of portal-systemic encephalopathy. When the laxative effect has been achieved, the dose of Generlac Solution may then be reduced to the recommended daily dose. Improvement in the patient's condition may occur within 24 hours but may not begin before 48 hours or even later.

Continuous long-term therapy is indicated to lessen the severity and prevent the recurrence of portal-systemic encephalopathy. The dose of Generlac Solution for this purpose is the same as the recommended daily dose.

Pediatric

Very little information on the use of lactulose in young children and adolescents has been recorded. As with adults, the subjective goal in proper treatment is to produce 2 to 3 soft stools daily. On the basis of information available, the recommended initial daily oral dose in infants is 2.5 to 10 mL in divided doses. For older children and adolescents, the total daily dose is 40 to 90 mL. If the initial dose causes diarrhea, the dose should be reduced immediately. If diarrhea persists, Generlac Solution should be discontinued.

When the adult patient is in the impending coma or coma stage of portal-systemic encephalopathy and the danger of aspiration exists, or when the necessary endoscopic or intubation procedures physically interfere with the administration of the recommended oral doses, Generlac Solution may be given as a retention enema via a rectal balloon catheter. Cleansing enemas containing soapsuds or other alkaline agents should not be used.

Three hundred mL of Generlac Solution should be mixed with 700 mL of water or physiologic saline and retained for 30 to 60 minutes. Generlac Solution enema may be repeated every 4 to 6 hours. If the enema is inadvertently evacuated too promptly, it may be repeated immediately.

The goal of treatment is reversal of the coma stage in order that the patient may be able to take oral medication. Reversal of coma may take place within 2 hours of the first enema in some patients. Generlac Solution, given orally in the recommended doses, should be started before Generlac Solution by enema is stopped entirely.

Precise frequency data are not available.

Generlac Solution may produce gaseous distention with flatulence or belching and abdominal discomfort such as cramping in about 20% of patients.

Excessive dosage can lead to diarrhea with potential complications such as loss of fluids, hypokalemia, and hypernatremia. Nausea and vomiting have been reported.

Generlac Solution (Lactulose Solution, USP) is a synthetic disaccharide in solution form for oral or rectal administration.

Generlac Solution is a colonic acidifier for treatment and prevention of portal-systemic encephalopathy.

The chemical name for lactulose is 4-

The molecular weight is 342.30. It is freely soluble in water.

Lactulose causes a decrease in blood ammonia concentration and reduces the degree of portal-systemic encephalopathy. These actions are considered to be results of the following:

• Bacterial degradation of lactulose in the colon acidifies the colonic contents.
• This acidification of colonic contents results in the retention of ammonia in the colon as the ammonium ion. Since the colonic contents are then more acid than the blood, ammonia can be expected to migrate from the blood into the colon to form the ammonium ion.
• The acid colonic contents convert NH
  
  ₃to the ammonium ion [NH
  
  ₄]
  
  ⁺, trapping it and preventing its absorption.
  
• The laxative action of the metabolites of lactulose then expels the trapped ammonium ion from the colon.

Experimental data indicate that lactulose is poorly absorbed. Lactulose given orally to man and experimental animals resulted in only small amounts reaching the blood. Urinary excretion has been determined to be 3% or less and is essentially complete within 24 hours.

When incubated with extracts of human small intestinal mucosa, lactulose was not hydrolyzed during a 24-hour period and did not inhibit the activity of these extracts on lactose. Lactulose reaches the colon essentially unchanged. There it is metabolized by bacteria with the formation of low molecular weight acids that acidify the colon contents.