ISSN:
1573-2568
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Medicine
Notes:
Abstract The feeding of chenodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid (0.05 or 0.5% of the diet) to rabbits produced cirrhotic and necrotic changes in the liver, accompanied by an increase of secondary bile acids in bile. Animals fed 0.05% lithocholic acid, 0.05% or 0.5% chenodeoxycholic acid, but not those receiving 0.5% lithocholic acid were able to survive for a period of 21 days. The most severe cirrhotic and necrotic changes were observed in the rabbits fed either 0.5% lithocholic acid or 0.5% chenodeoxycholic acid for 6 days or longer. Liver damage appeared to correlate with bile composition. The pathologic involvement was greatest whenever the percentage of lithocholic acid in the bile exceeded 15%. It is concluded that chenodeoxycholic acid (which is not a major constituent of rabbit bile) exerts its hepatotoxic effects largely because it is converted to lithocholic acid by the intestinal bacterial flora.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01076210
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