Influence of ileal resection, type of diet and ursodeoxycholic acid on biliary secretion in rats

We studied the effects of the type of dietary fat and of ursodeoxycholic acid, an exogenous bile acid added to the diet, on bile physiology in rats with 50% resection of the distal small intestine. The amount of fat was the same (4%) in all diets assayed, which differed only in the type of fat, (olive oil in diet A, and 1/3 medium‐chain triglycerides, 1/3 sunflower oil and 1/3 olive oil in diet B). The removal of 50% of the distal small intestine raised the de novo hepatic synthesis of bile acids with respect to controls, regardless of whether diet A or diet B was given. The addition to diet B of ursodeoxycholic acid decreased bile flow and osmotic activity of bile acid in resected rats and raised bile acid‐independent bile flow in comparison to resected rats given diet B without ursodeoxycholic acid.