Gallstones Produced Experimentally by Lithocholic Acid in Rats

Abstract

Administration of lithocholic acid (1 percent in the diet) consistently produces choledocholithiasis in 8 weeks in rats on an 8-percent protein diet. The gallstones consist predominantly of the calcium salts of free and glycine-conjugated lithocholic and 3α,6β-dihydroxy-5β-cholanic acids. Conjugation of bile acid with taurine can be enhanced and stone formation can be inhibited by an increase in the dietary protein or by a diet supplemented with taurine.