Some effects of deoxycholate administration on the metabolism of cholesterol in man

Hypercholesterolemic subjects in a metabolic ward were kept under uniform dietary conditions until constant levels of serum cholesterol were observed. Oral dosage with deoxycholate (1.5 to 3 g daily for a period of 4 to 10 weeks) resulted in a marked reduction of serum cholesterol concentration. Studies with 14C-labeled cholesterol demonstrated that deoxycholate administration decreased absorption of cholesterol from the human intestinal tract. In these subjects, the turnover rate of serum cholesterol was more rapid during therapy with deoxycholate than during control periods. Deoxycholate appeared to influence the intestinal flora as assessed indirectly by analysis of the types of neutral sterols eliminated with the feces. Decreased synthesis of cholesterol during deoxycholate administration uas demonstrated in a study with 14C-mevalonate. It is concluded that deoxycholic acid can have an important role in the regulation of cholesterol metabolism in humans.