Effects of ursodeoxycholate and its conjugates on biliary glutathione excretion in rats.

The effects of ursodeoxycholate and its conjugates on biliary glutathione excretion were studied in rats. Ursodeoxycholate had no effect on glutathione excretion, but tauroursodeoxycholate (10 mumol/100 g body wt) transitionally increased biliary glutathione excretion. Ursodeoxycholate-3-O-glucuronide (2 and 10 mumol/100 g body wt) markedly inhibited biliary glutathione excretion, but ursodeoxycholate-3-sulfate (2 mumol/100 g body wt) and ursodeoxycholate-3,7-disulfate (10 mumol/100 g body wt) did not. These findings indicate the existence of several biliary excretion pathways for bile acid glucuronides and sulfates and that one of them for the glucuronides is shared by biliary glutathione excretion.