Summary
We studied liquid crystal formation in bile samples obtained from the patients with radiolucent gallstones who had been administered either ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) at a dose of 600 mg/day or chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) at 400 mg/day for one week preoperatively. The UDCA/total bile acids ratio was found to range from 50 to 60% and the CDCA/total bile acids ratio ranged from 70 to 80%. Cholesterol molar percent was 5 in UDCA-rich bile and 6 in CDCA-rich bile. Phospholipid molar percentage was about the same in both groups. Liquid crystal formation was confirmed only in the UDCA-rich bile samples but not in the CDCA-rich bile samples. This result suggests that cholesterol in the UDCA-rich bile samples is not solubilized by the bile salt and phospholipid mixed micells but also consumed to form liquid crystals.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Danzinger RE, et al: Dissolution of cholesterol gallstones by chenodeoxycholic acid. N Engl J Med 286: 1, 1972
Sugata F, et al: Retrospective studies on gallstone disappearance. Jpn J Gastroenterol 71: 75, 1974 (Jpn)
Makino I, et al: Dissolution of cholesterol gallstones by ursodeoxycholic acid. Jpn J Gastroenterol 72: 690, 1975 (Jpn)
Tanigawa K, et al: Treatment of gallstone with ursodeoxycholic acid — Lipid and bile acid composition in bile. Jpn J Gastroenterol 75: 1196, 1979
Tokyo Cooperative Gallstone Study Group: Efficacy and indications of ursodeoxycholic acid treatment for dissolving gallstones. Gastroenterology 78: 542, 1980
Salen G, et al: Hepatic cholesterol metabolism in patients with gallstone. Gastroenterology 69: 676, 1975
Hirabayashi N, et al: Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on hepatic HMG-CoA reductase and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase of in vitro. Ōyō Yakuri 15: 125, 1978 (Jpn)
Igimi H, et al: Ursodeoxycholate in vitro cholesterol solubility and changes of composition of human gallbladder bile after oral treatment. Life Sci 21: 1373, 1977
Igimi H, et al: pH-Solubility relations of chenodeoxycholic and ursodeoxycholic acid: physical-chemical basis for dissimilar solution and membrane phenomena. J Lipid Res 21: 72, 1980
Igimi H, et al: Cholesterol gallstone dissolution in bile: dissolution kinetics of crystalline (anhydrate and monohydrate) cholesterol with chenodeoxycholate, ursodeoxycholate, and their glycine and taurine conjugates. J Lipid Res 22: 254, 1981
Igimi H: Physicochemical differences between chenodeoxycholate and ursodeoxycholate on the gallstone dissolution. Fourth international conference on surface and colloid science. 53, (Abstract), 1981
Igimi H, et al: Dissolution mechanism of cholesterol gallstone in UDC-rich bile. Hepatology 2: 145 (Abstract), 1982
Corrigan OI, et al: Mesophase formation during cholesterol in ursodeoxycholate-lecithin solution: new mechanism for gallstone dissolution in humans. J Pharm Sci 69: 869, 1980
Fausa O, et al: Quantitative determination of bile acids and their conjugates using thin-layer chromatography and a purified 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. Scand J Gastroent 9: 249, 1974
Gurantz D, et al: Enzymatic measurement of cholinecontaining phospholipids in bile. J Lipid Res 22: 373, 1981
Igimi H: Ursodeoxycholate-A common bile acid in gallbladder bile of Japanese subjects. Life Sci 18: 993, 1974
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Igimi, H., Asakawa, S., Watanabe, D. et al. Liquid crystal formation in ursodeoxycholate-rich human gallbladder bile. Gastroenterol Jpn 18, 93–97 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02774682
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02774682