Metabolism of sodium 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholane-24-sulfonate in hamsters.

Metabolism of sodium 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholane-24-sulfonate, the sulfonate derivative of chenodeoxycholic acid, was studied in hamsters. In bile fistula hamsters, the sulfonate analogue was efficiently absorbed from the ileum and secreted rapidly into the bile without any modification such as conjugation. However, absorption from the jejunum was smaller than that observed for the ileum. After oral administration, the sulfonate analogue of chenodeoxycholic acid was recovered quantitatively in the feces as the unchanged form in contrast to simultaneously administered chenodeoxycholic acid, which was entirely converted to lithocholic acid during its passage through the intestinal tract. These results demonstrate that the sulfonate analogue is absorbed mainly from the ileum by active transport, enters the enterohepatic circulation like the endogenous conjugated bile acids, and completely resists bacterial degradation.