Hepatic passage of bile acids increases oxygen uptake by perfused rat liver.

It has been claimed that the hepatic passage of conjugated bile acids does not increase oxygen uptake by the isolated perfused rat liver. We studied a variety of bile acids in the single-pass perfused rat liver. All bile acids studied except taurocholate and tauro-beta-muricholate induced an increase in oxygen uptake of 2.1%-11.2% (baseline 2.54 +/- 0.57 mumoles/min per g liver). Raised values for oxygen uptake were not specifically associated with the critical micellar concentration of the bile acid, with bile acid uptake, or with bile acid secretion. It is postulated that bile acid toxicity may have an intracellular effect on hepatic oxygen uptake.