Effects of secretin on bile production in two kinds of cholestatic models by choledocho-caval fistula and bile duct ligation in rats.

Secretin is known to stimulate bile flow from the bile duct epithelium. To investigate the effects of secretin in cholestasis, we studied the response of the bile flow and the excretion of biliary components to secretin using two cholestatic models with or without damage to the bile duct epithelium. The model without bile duct epithelial damage was a choledocho-caval (CC) fistula over a 24-hour period, and the model with bile duct damage was a bile duct ligation over a 48-hour period. Secretin was administered by intravenous infusion for 30 minutes and bile was collected for 120 minutes. Controls were given saline similarly. The bile flow and biliary bicarbonate excretion rate were significantly increased after secretin infusion in the CC fistula rats when compared with the control rats, but no stimulation by secretin was observed in the ligated rats. These data indicate that secretin-induced bile production was enhanced under cholestatic conditions with no bile duct epithelial disturbance.