Ammonia
Ammonia is recognized as one of the most crucial components in the pathology of hepatic encephalopathy. (Bosoi and Rose, 2009)
The Chemistry of Ammonia
ammonia is composed of nitrogen and hydrogen (NH3). When dissolved in a solution, it separates into NH3 (gas) and NH 4 + (ion).
What is Ammonia?
Ammonia is produced in several processes, including during the digestion of proteins and deamination. This byproduct is detoxified by the liver through the urea cycle.
HE patients that have a damaged liver cannot manage ammonia. Consequently, hyperammonemia develops (up to 1 mM in severe cases, normal values in adults: 14 to 38 mol/L).
This gaseous molecule is capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier, which normally isolates and protects the brain from the bloodstream and its toxins. Ammonia damages the brain cells, particularly the astrocytes.
Clinical overview
Oxidative Stress