[Effect of cholic acid and chenodesoxycholic acid on biliary secretion in mice. Effect of the addition of beta-sitosterol].

Five groups of 20 mice received for 4 months one of the following diets: T, standard diet (T); a, T + cholic acid (0.2%); b, T + cholic acid (0.2%) + beta-sitosterol (2%); c, T + chenodeoxycholic acid (0.2%); d, T + chenodeoxycholic acid (0.2%) + beta-sitosterol (2%). After this time, the cholesterol intestinal absorption and the biliary secretion of lipids were measured. The biliary secretion of cholesterol, the total hepatic cholesterol (23 mg/g liver dry weight), and the intestinal absorption of cholesterol (90% administered dose) were higher in mice fed with cholic acid than in mice fed with chenodeoxycholic acid (hepatic cholesterol, 9.6 mg/g liver dry weight; absorption, 65% administered dose). The addition of beta-sitosterol to the diet supplemented with cholic acid decreased the cholesterol intestinal absorption and the biliary secretion of cholesterol so that both became similar to that obtained with chenodeoxycholic acid. These results indicate that in mice, as in man, cholic acid elicits a higher cholesterol biliary secretion than chenodeoxycholic acid. In this experimental model, the distinct effect on the biliary cholesterol of these two bile salts is due to their specific effects on the intestinal absorption of cholesterol.