Comparative studies of ‘bile salts’. 1. Preliminary survey

Abstract

Improved methods of isolating crystalline material from small amts. of bile were applied to the bile of 37 species of vertebrates whose bile salts were not previously examined. New crystalline compounds were isolated from the bile of frogs (1 sp.), lizards (1 sp.), and snakes (4 spp.). Indications of other crystalline biliary constituents were obtained. A new bile acid, pythocholic acid, C24H40O5, is probably characteristic of the bile of 3 species of Boidae; it forms the main constituent of the bile of the African python. The presence of nutri-acholic acid as the main bile acid of Myocastor coypu was confirmed. The existence of ursodeoxycholic acid (3[alpha]-7[beta]-dihydroxy-cholanic acid) as characteristic of bear bile was not substantiated. A critical commentary with all available data on the nature of the bile salts of vertebrates is presented. The nature of the bile salts appears to be a species characteristic and may be of value for this purpose.