Hepatic Metabolism of Glycodehydrocholic Acid in the Dog and Rat 1 2

Abstract

Summary

Our results demonstrate extensive metabolism of GDCA in the dog and rat by a pathway similar to that for DCA in man (7). Assignment of reduced metabolites and relative ratios was made by tlc comparison of tritiated metabolites with known compounds. Trace bolus doses of GDCA result in complete reductive metabolism, and increasing molar doses result in the excretion of only small amounts (<5%) of unchanged GDCA in bile. Thus our in vivo experiments are in contrast to the absence of GDCA metabolism reported in the isolated, perfused rat liver (12).

The authors are indebted to Ruthie Pettigrew and Becky Backof for invaluable technical assistance and to Jo Ellen Shockley for preparation of the manuscript.