Effect of Dietary Bile Acids on in vivo Cholesterol Metabolism in the Rat.

Abstract

The effects of dietary cholic acid on rates of in vivo synthesis and mobilization of endogenous cholesterol in liver, adrenal, and blood serum were studied in female albino rats injected with acetate-l-C14. Feeding cholic acid (0.5%) for 3 weeks prior to acetate injection did not increase serum and adrenal cholesterol levels, but caused a slight though significant increase in total liver cholesterol. Rates of synthesis and mobilization of cholesterol-x-C14 were greatly reduced in both the liver and adrenal. Further, the accumulation and mobilization of cholesterol-x-C14 in blood serum were retarded. In a parallel study, dehydrocholic acid produced similar but quantitatively smaller effects on cholesterol metabolism.