Effect of lysine acetylsalicylate on biliary lipid secretion in dogs

1. The influence of lysine acetylsalicylate on bile flow, erythritol clearance and bile salt, phospholipid and cholesterol secretion in bile was studied in unanaesthetized dogs fitted with a Thomas duodenal cannula. 2. Lysine acetylsalicylate induced a marked increase in bile flow and a parallel increase in erythritol clearance although the bile salt secretion remained unchanged; this suggests that the compound stimulated the formation of the canalicular (hepatocytic) bile salt-independent fraction of bile flow. 3. Lysine acetylsalicylate induced a significant decrease in biliary phospholipid and cholesterol secretion and the cholesterol saturation of bile was significantly reduced. 4. It is postulated that the decrease in phospholipid and cholesterol secretion resulted from the dilution of intracanalicular bile salts. This effect of lysine acetylsalicylate, and possibly of other bile salt-independent choleretics, may be of value in the treatment of cholesterol gallstones in man.