Influence of beclobrate on gallstone formation in hamsters.

Three groups of male Syrian hamsters were fed a lithogenic diet (L), L plus 0.04% ethyl-2-[4-(p-chlorophenyl) methylphenoxy]-2-methylbutyrate (beclobrate); or L plus 0.17% beclobrate. After 60 days, the percentage of hamsters with gallstones on the three diets was 28, 16 and 12, respectively. Biliary phospholipid was not affected, but biliary cholesterol and bile acid were reduced significantly in both test groups.