Effects of Ornithine-Aspartate Combined with Xingnaojing Injection on Hepatic Encephalopathy in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of ornithine-aspartate combined with Xingnaojing injection on hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis. Methods: Seventy-eight patients with liver cirrhosis and hepatic encephalopathy were randomly divided into control group and treatment group. The control group (n = 40) was treated with conventional routine, including removing causality, limiting protein in food, keeping bowel in movement, keeping water and electrolyte in balance and injecting glutathione. The treatment group (n = 38) was treated with ornithine-aspartate 40 mL and Xingnaojing injection 20 mL in addition to conventional treatment. The therapeutic course was 7 days. By observing serum ammonia and liver function of 2 groups, the clinical efficacy can be evaluated. Results: In the treatment group, 42.10 %(16/38) patients showed marked improvement of clinical syndromes, 44.74%(17/38)cases were improved, 13.16 %(5/38) cases were without any response and total efficacy rate was 86.8 %. And 1 out of 38 case died. However, in the control group, 30.00 % (12/40) patients are demonstrated to have a marked improvement, 37.50 %(15/40)patients were improved, 32.50 %(13/40)cases had no response and the total efficacy rate was 67.50 %(27/40). And 4 out of 40 cases died. There was a significant difference in total efficacy rate between the two groups (P 0.05). The serum ammonia in the treatment group was also significantly decreased than that in the control group(P 0.05). Conclusion: Ornithine-aspartate and Xingnaojing injection are effective in down-regulating serum ammonia and treating hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver cirrhosis.