Mesophase formation during cholesterol gallstone dissolution in human bile: effect of bile acid composition.

Duodenal bile obtained from patients with gallstones who were acutely infused with chenodeoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, or cholic acid were examined for the propensity toward the formation of a liquid crystalline mesomorphic phase when cholesterol gallstones were incubated in these bile acids. Bile taken from patients infused with ursodeoxycholic acid was found to be enriched in ursodeoxycholic acid; mesophase formation was detected in these samples but not in bile from patients infused with chenodeoxycholic acid or cholic acid.