Analysis of 3-sulfated and nonsulfated bile acids by one-step solvolysis and high performance liquid chromatography.

A facile solvolysis procedure of 3-sulfated bile acid was devised using trifluoroacetic acid, tetrahydrofuran, and methanol. The sulfate esters were completely solvolyzed within only 2 hr by the present method. The clinical utility of the solvolysis procedure and high performance liquid chromatography using immobilized 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was demonstrated in the analysis of bile acids in serum of patients with obstructive jaundice. The quantities of 3-sulfated bile acids were calculated from the difference in the amount of bile acids before and after solvolysis. A significantly large proportion of 3-sulfated glycochenodeoxycholic acid, i.e., 21.9 to 31.3% of total glycochenodeoxycholic acid, was found in the serum of patients with obstructive jaundice. Thus, the present method permits simultaneous quantitation of 3-sulfated as well as nonsulfated bile acids in biological samples.