[Conjugation of chenodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid during passage through liver]

Both chenodeoxycholic acid, in the dosage administered for dissolution of gallstones, and cholic acid are completely conjugated during one passage through the liver. The glycine:taurine ratio increases with the cumulative amount of exogenous bile acids secreted, which suggests consumption of available taurine. Since conjugation with glycine compensates for deficiency of the taurine conjugating system, it can be assumed that in the normal liver and with doses not exceeding 2.5 mmoles, chenodeoxycholic acid is efficiently and completely transformed into its "physiologic" conjugated form.