Fecal bile acid excretion and liver cholesterol synthesis after sucralfate and cholestyramine administration in the rat.

The relative ability of the resin cholestyramine and sucralfate (disucrose octasulfate) to bind bile acids in the gastro intestinal tract and increase fecal bile acid excretion has been studied in normal rats under standard diet. Plasma and liver cholesterol concentrations and in vitro cholesterol synthesis from 14C-acetate by liver slices, have been determined before and after one and three weeks of drug administration (0.5 or 1.0 g/100 g food). Plasma and liver cholesterol levels were unchanged after one week of treatment, but a moderate decrease in liver cholesterol content was observed after 3 weeks administration of cholestyramine and, to a lesser extent of sucralfate. Both drugs increase fecal bile acid excretion with a definitely higher effect of cholestyramine at either dose or period of administration. However, the resin produced a higher bile acid excretion after one week than after three weeks, whereas sucralfate effect increases with the time of administration. In vitro cholesterogenesis was clearly increased by cholestyramine and moderately by sucralfate although 14C-acetate incorporation into cholesterol was not quantitatively correlated to the amount of bile acid excreted in feces. The potential interest of sucralfate as bile acid sequestrant and hypocholesterolemic agent in man deserves further investigations.