COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING ORNITHINE AND PHENYLACETATE OR PHENYLBUTYRATE FOR TREATING HEPATIC ENCEPHALOPATHY

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an agent for preventing or treating hyperammonemia and the like.SOLUTION: The agent for preventing or treating hyperammonemia, brain swelling, and reduction in neutrophil phagocytosis contains ornithine and at least one of phenylacetate and phenylbutyrate. With the agent, a patient suffering from a lever disease can be treated in an early stage of the disease before the disease transitions to liver decompensation, consequently, before onset of hepatic encephalopathy, so as to prevent or delay onset of liver decompensation. Otherwise, hepatic encephalopathy is treated by effectively decreasing the ammonia concentration in blood and maintaining the function of neutrophils.