Effect of sodium taurolithocholate on bile flow and bile acid exeretion.

Sodium taurolithocholate and sodium taurocholenate were infused intravenously into rats and hamsters. Each bile acid salt was given alone or in combination with varying amounts of a primary bile salt, either sodium taurocholate or sodium taurochenodeoxycholate. Bile flow, total bile acid salt excretion, and the excretion of sodium taurolithocholate were quantitatively determined. In addition, mannitol excretion in bile was determined at various flow rates. Sodium taurolithocholate was found to be rapidly excreted in bile in concentrations greater than its aqueous solubility. When the endogenous excretion rate of bile salt or the infusion of primary bile salt was less than the molar amount of administered sodium taurolithocholate, cholestasis always occurred. Increasing molar amounts of primary bile salt prevented cholestasis and enhanced the excretion rate of sodium taurolithocholate. Infusion of sodium taurocholenate, a nonhemolytic bile salt, caused an effect on bile flow and bile acid salt excretion qualitatively similar to sodium taurolithocholate. The induction of cholestasis can be attributed to the physical properties of these poorly water soluble bile salts. The reduction in bile flow could not be shown to be related to water reabsorption from the biliary tree since there was no increase in mannitol concentration in bile during cholestasis. Reduction in bile flow may be related to obstruction of segments of the biliary tree by precipitates of sodium taurolithocholate and possibly to a decrease in water entry into the biliary tree during infusion of this bile acid salt.