Turnover and Nature of Fecal Bile Acids in Germfree and Infected Rats Fed Cholic Acid-24- 14 C. Bile Acids and Steroids 41. ∗ †

Abstract

Summary

1. Taurocholic acid-24-¹⁴C was the only metabolite found in feces of germfree rats fed cholic acid-24-¹⁴C. 2. The half-life of cholic acid in germfree rats is 11.4 days as compared with 2 days in control animals. Daily excretion of cholic acid in germfree rats is 0.9 mg/100 g body weight. 3. Monoinfection of a germfree rat with Aspergillus niger did not change the half-life nor the composition of the bile salts in feces. Infection of the same rat with Clostridium per-fringens resulted in free cholic acid in feces but no change in turnover time. When the rat was taken out of the germfree rearing apparatus turnover time and bile acid picture changed to that of “normal” rats.