Effects of bile salts on pancreatic secretion in rabbits: ursodeoxycholate infused into the duodenum stimulates pancreas.

The effects of six species of bile salts, deoxycholate, ursodeoxycholate, glycodeoxycholate, tauroursodeoxycholate, chenodeoxycholate, and cholate (DCA, UDCA, GDC, TUDC, CDCA, CA), on pancreatic secretion were examined in anesthetized rabbits. When bile salts were infused intraduodenally, only UDCA significantly increased the pancreatic juice flow and bicarbonate output, whereas the increase in protein output was only transient. In contrast, UDCA infused intravenously did not affect the pancreatic secretion. Furthermore, none of the other bile salts, either intraduodenally or intravenously administered, had any significant effect on pancreatic exocrine function. Pancreatic responses to the intraduodenally administered UDCA in terms of fluid, bicarbonate, and protein secretion were similar to those of secretin infused intravenously. Thus, it was suggested that UDCA infused intraduodenally stimulates pancreatic secretion, possibly via the release of a secretin-like substance(s) from the duodenal wall.