Effect of repeated oral administration on taurocholate on hepatic excretory function in the rat.

The effect of repeated administration of taurocholate on bile acid pool size, biliary composition and biliary excretory capacity for bile acids and two xenobiotics was determined. The bile acid pool was increased 50 to 60% by oral administration of sodium taurocholate (300--900 mg/kg, 10 ml/kg) every 12 hr for 2 days to male Sprague-Dawley rats. Bile flow, biliary excretion of bile acids, cholesterol and phospholipid and the concentrations of phospholipid and bile acids in bile were increased in rats treated with 750 mg of taurocholate per kg. No effect was observed on Na+,K+ or Cl- levels. The biliary transport maximum for taurocholate was increased by 30% in rats treated with 750 mg/kg. In contrast, the plasma disappearance and biliary excretion of phenol-3,6-dibromphthalein and ouabain were not affected by taurocholate administration.