Thin-layer chromatographic separation of conjugates of ursodeoxycholic acid from those of litho-, chenodeoxy-, deoxy-, and cholic acids.

Separation of the glycine and taurine conjugates of ursodeoxycholic acid from those of lithocholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, and cholic acid by thin-layer chromatography is described. Thus, on running a silica gel G plate first in a solvent system of n-butanol-water 20:3 and then in a second solvent system of chloroform-isopropanol-acetic acid-water 30:20:4:1, all the above-mentioned conjugated bile acids are separated from one another. The application of this method to study the change in the biliary bile acid conjugation pattern in ursodeoxycholic acid-fed gallstone patients is described.