Study of some colonic microflora in patients with liver cirrhosis before and after lactulose administration

Stool culture for lactobacilli and enterococci before and after 14 days of lactulose therapy was done in 25 cirrhotic patients and 10 healthy control persons. The quantitative bacterial estimation of stool lactobacilli and enterococci showed no significant difference between normal controls and cirrhotics. A significant increase in lactobacilli count was noticed in cirrhotics following lactulose administration. Whereas lactulose administration to cirrhotic patients caused non significant increase in stool enterococci. It is to be concluded that the benificial effect of lactulose is likely related to the total increase in the number of lactobacilli leading to acid production and hence decrease in the colonic pH