Lipids. 1981 Apr;16(4):228-33.  

Effects of feeding chenodeoxycholic acid on metabolism of cholesterol and bile
acids in germ-free rats.

Gustafsson BE, Angelin B, Bjorkhem I, Einarsson K, Gustafsson JA.

The aim of this investigation was to study the influence of chenodeoxycholic
acid administration on cholesterol and bile acid synthesis in germ-free rats.
Seven rats were fed a basal diet and 2 groups of 4 rats received the same diet
supplemented with 0.4 and 1% chenodeoxycholic acid, respectively. After 6 weeks,
feces were collected in one 3- and one 4-day pool for analysis of cholesterol
and bile acids. When the sampling period was finished, the rats were killed and
the liver microsomal fractions isolated. The activities of HMG CoA reductase and
cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase were determined, the 7 alpha-hydroxylase by a
mass fragmentographic method. The 2 dominating bile acids in the untreated rats
were cholic acid and beta-muricholic acid. During treatment with
chenodeoxycholic acid, 60--70% of this bile acid was converted into alpha- and
beta-muricholic acid, indicating a high activity of the 6 beta-hydroxylase. The
excretion of cholic acid was almost completely inhibited and the 7
alpha-hydroxylase activity was decreased ca 75% in the rats fed 1%
chenodeoxycholic acid. The activity of the hepatic HMG CoA reductase as
unchanged. The fecal excretion of cholesterol increased 2--3 times. An
accumulation of cholesterol was seen in the rats treated with 1%
chenodeoxycholic acid, which was probably a result of the decreased catabolism
of cholesterol to bile acids.

PMID: 7242275 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]