The Fate of Labelled Bile Salts Introduced into the Colon

Abstract

Morris, J. S. & Heaton, K. W. The fate of labelled bile salts introduced into the colon. Scand. J. Gastroent. 1974, 9, 33–39.

In 9 subjects undergoing T-tube drainage of bile, radioactive bile salts introduced into the colon were recovered from the bile mainly within the first 24 hours. Unconjugated cholate and deoxycholate were absorbed more efficiently than a conjugated bile salt taurocholate. Cholate and taurocholate were recovered largely in dehydroxylated form as conjugates of deoxycholate. These findings confirm that the human colon plays two roles in bile salt metabolism – bacterial dehydroxylation and absorption.

Key-words::

• Colon
• dehydroxylation
• deoxycholate
• labelled bile acids