Bile Salt Metabolism and the Colon

Abstract

Morris, J. S., Low-Beer, T. S. & Heaton, K. W. 1973. Bile Salt Metabolism and the Colon. Scand. J. Gastroent. 8, 425-431.

We have studied the fate of ¹⁴C-labelled sodium taurocholate in duodenal samples from subjects with an ileostomy. Less radioactivity appeared in the form of deoxycholate conjugates in subjects with an ileostomy than in controls. The overall rate of loss of radioactivity was normal in those with an ileostomy, indicating that there is no malabsorption of bile salts in the absence of a colon. In most ileostomy subjects, however, there was evidence of rapid deconjugation of bile salts. In these two groups of subjects and in three patients with an ileo-rectal anastomosis the relative proportions of glycocholate, glycochenodeoxycholate, and glycodeoxycholate were measured in duodenal aspirates. In subjects with an ileostomy little or no glycodeoxycholate was present, but in those with an ileo-rectal anastomosis glycodeoxycholate levels approached the normal range. We suggest that deoxycholate is formed in the colon and that in the absence of the colon bile salt recirculation is not impaired.

Key-words::

• Bile salts
• colon
• deconjugation
• dehydroxylation
• ileorectal anastromosis
• ileostromy