Use of a bile duct T-cannula as a new technique for studying bile acid turnover in the rat

Abstract

A new technique using T-cannulated bile ducts has been developed for studying bile acid turnover in the rat by isotope dilution. Applicability of this technique to study the effect of diet on cholate and chenodeoxycholate metabolism is suggested. In tests with the method, the rate of cholate synthesis for rats fed colony diet was twice that for rats fed semisynthetic diet. When sodium glycocholate was fed in the latter diet the half-life of cholate decreased; the secretion rate of deoxycholate and cholate increased without affecting chenodeoxycholate. Although curves for cholate log specific activity vs. time were linear, those obtained simultaneously for chenodeoxycholate were nonlinear. A double exponential curve was obtained for chenodeoxycholate of colony-fed rats. Separation of free deoxycholate and chenodeoxycholate was improved through continuous development thin layer chromatography.