Influence of the diet on the composition of faecal bile acids in rats

Abstract

1. [24-14C]cholic acid was given orally to rats receiving three different diets, a semi-synthetic diet (D7) with and without 20% cellulose, and a commercial, pelleted diet. The labelled metabolites excreted in the faeces in the 8 days following administration of the labelled cholic acid were chromatographically separated, and tentatively identified by means of thin-layer chromatography.2. In all three dietary groups the faecal bile acids mainly consisted of unconjugated and 7α-dehydroxylated metabolites. In rats receiving pellets or diet D7with cellulcse, there was a higher percentage of monohydroxy-monoketo-cholanoic acids than in those receiving diet D7alone. Dihydroxy-cholanoic acids, present in approximately the same ratio as were the 3α- and 3β-hydroxy isomers, were excreted by all the rats in the three dietary groups.