Polski merkuriusz lekarski : organ Polskiego Towarzystwa Lekarskiego
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Pol. Merkur. Lekarski · Jun 2010
Review[Physiological functions of L-ornithine and L-aspartate in the body and the efficacy of administration of L-ornithine-L-aspartate in conditions of relative deficiency].
L-ornithine-L-aspartate (LOLA) is a stable salt of two natural nonessential L-amino acids: ornithine and aspartic acid. It is formulated and marketed in low and high doses. Low doses are used as a food supplement and high doses (above 5 g) as a medicinal product to lower blood ammonia concentration and to eliminate symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy associated with liver cirrhosis. ⋯ In health and with proper diet, L-ornithine and L-aspartate are synthesized de novo in sufficient quantities, but in the states of disease, tissue damage, organ insufficiency, excessive metabolic demand, growth, pregnancy, or urea cycle enzyme deficiencies, these amino acids need to be supplemented with the food. The review of available data indicate that there is direct and indirect (resulting from physiology) scientific rationale for dietary use of LOLA, depending on an individual's physiological, metabolic or pathological conditions. In conditional ornithine deficiency, daily supplementation with LOLA at doses about 1 g/day is safe and, as demonstrated in vitro, should be sufficient to saturate tissue ornithine concentration to prevent postprandial hyperammonemia and to stimulate tissue regeneration.