Rowachol and ursodeoxycholic acid in hamsters with cholesterol gallstones

Rowachol, a mixture of 6 terpenes in olive oil and under investigation for dissolution of gallstones in humans, was compared with UDCA in hamsters with induced cholesterol gallstones. Eighty hamsters were allocated to eight groups of ten animals each. One group received only standard rodent chow. The other seven groups received the lithogenic regime (standard chow containing ethinyl estradiol and increased cholesterol), either alone or with 20 mg/kg/day of UDCA, or 5, 10, or 20 mg/kg/day of mixed terpenes in olive oil or 10 mg ( of terpenes) kg/day of Rowachol or 0.2 cc/day of olive oil. The animals were sacrificed after 12 weeks. Two additional groups of six hamsters each received the lithogenic regime for 12 weeks, and then were switched to the standard diet, alone or with 10 mg/kg/day of Rowachol for eight weeks at the end of which time they were sacrificed. Rowachol decreased HMGCoA reductase activity 18%, but did not dissolve gallstones. Neither the terpenes nor Rowachol altered the biliary cholesterol saturation index, bile acid pool size or the activity of cholesterol 7-alpha hydroxylase or prevented formation of gallstones. UDCA unsaturated bile, increased the total bile acid pool size 38%, depressed the activity of HMGCoA reductase 29%, and prevented formation of gallstones.