Biliary excretion of simultaneously administered bilirubin and chenodeoxycholic acid in rats

Crystalline bilirubin and chenodeoxycholic acid were administered intravenously and intraduodenally respectively in 19 anesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats in order to verify whether there exists an interference between their biliary excretion. When these two compounds were administered together, the biliary excretion of bilirubin and bile salts was significantly reduced the conjugation of bilirubin was not impaired while bile flow remained constant during the whole exerpimental period. These data seem to indicate a mutual interference between chenodeoxycholic and bilirubin metabolisms. It could be admitted that the excretory step is involved in determining the observed modifications.