Intestinal absorption and metabolism of homoursodeoxycholic acid in rats

Intestinal absorption, hepatic biotransformation and intestinal bacterial modification of the C25 homolog of ursodeoxycholic acid, homoursodeoxycholic acid, and its glycine conjugate, glycohomoursodeoxycholic acid, were studied in rats. Homoursodeoxycholic acid, like ursodeoxycholic acid, was efficiently absorbed from the intestine and rapidly excreted into the bile. Most (greater than 95%) of the absorbed homoursodeoxycholic acid was found to undergo beta-oxidation to form two C23 bile acids, norursodeoxycholic acid and nor-beta-muricholic acid during passage through the liver. Bacterial modification of homoursodeoxycholic acid was very similar to that of ursodeoxycholic acid. In the rat intestinal tract, glycohomoursodexycholic acid was deconjugated to form unconjugated homoursodeoxycholic acid which was then 7 beta-dehydroxylated to form homolithocholic acid.