The excretion of phylloerythrin and bilirubin by calves and sheep

Under general anaesthesia the common bile duct was ligated in two sheep and two calves. Occlusion of the duct was permanent and was followed by portal fibrosis, proliferation of bile ducts and intrahepatic bile stasis. Mild hepatic cell damage was accompanied by the release of glutamate dehydrogenase, sorbitol dehydrogenase and arginase into serum. The release of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase was slower but more continuous. One sheep and one calf developed peritonitis associated with the leakage of bile from a biopsy wound in the live. One of these animals and the other two on which biopsy was not performed became photosensitised on exposure to sunlight. The concentration of phylloerythrin was high in serum and urine. All animals became jaundiced and the increased concentration of bilirubin in serum and urine was mainly direct reacting, ie, conjugated with glucuronic acid.