THE INFLUENCE OF THE LIVER IN THE FORMATION AND DESTRUCTION OF BILE SALTS

Abstract

The normal dog excretes slight traces of bile salts in the urine, and bile salts are not definitely detectable in normal blood. Only a small portion of intraven. injected glycocholates or taurocholates appears in the urine and the injected material rapidly disappears from the blood. After continuous administration of large amts. of bile salts, only traces appear in the urine and feces; apparently the substances are destroyed. After complete removal of the liver, bile salts are not found in the blood or urine; apparently the liver forms bile salts. If the liver is removed, injected bile salts are quantitatively recovered in the urine but, if injections are made in animals with biliary obstruction, only part of the injected material is recovered. The liver apparently is an important destroyer of bile salts. Formation of bile salts is inhibited by chloroform, CCl4, or tetrachlorethane, but not by toluylenediamine. Destruction of bile salt is little altered by hepatotoxins that alter formation of bile salts.