title: Bile acids content in brain of common duct ligated rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cholestasis leads to liver cell death, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and eventually liver failure. Bile duct ligated rats constitute an interesting model to study the mechanism of cholestasis, and its action on several organs and tissues, including the brain.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze brain bile acids individually in ligated rats to evaluate if its profile is altered towards a more toxic condition in cholestasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male Wistar rats were used and separated in two groups: bile duct ligated rats and sham operated rats (n = 5 in each group). Bile acid profile was assessed in brain homogenates. Alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase determinations, bilirubin and ammonia plasma concentration were also measured in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although the total amount of bile acids in control animal brains showed a higher concentration than in bile duct ligated rats, the bile acid profile in this group was found more toxic composition than in controls. Lithocholic acid was present in brain in higher concentration (87.4 % of total brain bile acids) in ligated rats and absent in controls. Alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and ammonia were significantly higher in bile duct ligated rats than in control group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was found a toxic brain bile acid profile during hepatic cholestasis which could be one of the explanations of hepatic encephalopathy observed in cholestatic diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Valeria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tripodi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Contin
authors.forename: María Alejandra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Abraham
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lemberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003135:Common Bile Duct / Q000601:surgery*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008026:Ligation; D008095:Lithocholic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D017082:Portal Pressure; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D015415:Biomarkers; D008095:Lithocholic Acid