Cholestatic effect of cyclosporine in the rat. An inhibition of bile acid secretion.

Cyclosporine administration in patients with organ transplants may cause cholestasis. In the rat, intraperitoneal administration of cyclosporine, 10 mg/kg, for three weeks did not cause liver function test abnormalities or hepatic histological lesions. However a significant reduction of bile flow and bile acid secretion rates was observed. The fact that reduction of bile flow was related to a decrease of the bile acid-independent flow suggests that cyclosporine-induced cholestasis results from an inhibition of bile acid secretion. Whether this inhibition is caused by the parental molecule or by cyclosporine metabolites needs to be clarified.