FACTORS INFLUENCING BILE FLOW IN THE DOG AND RAT

Abstract

The influence of sex, surface area, body wt. and bile depletion on bile flow, bile solid excretion, and response to deyhdrocholic acid were studied in 276 acute biliary fistula dogs. The basal rate of bile flow did not correlate with either surface area or body wt. The avg. rate of bile flow remained relatively constant for a period of 10 hrs. The rate of total solid excretion and concn. of solids decreased with time. The response to de-hydrocholic acid (20 mg./kg. by vein) correlated linearly with the control level of flow and with total dose. Comparison of the effects of dehydrocholic acid in dogs of varying wt. indicated that the choleretic response of the liver depends on the total quantity administered rather than on the dose/unit wt. In the rat, unlike the dog, basal rate of bile flow showed significant correlation both with liver and total body wt. The avg. rate of bile flow, total biliary solids excretion and the concn. of solids all decreased with time. The % response to similar total doses of dehydrocholic acid was similar in the dog and the rat.