GENERAL INTRODUCTION ABOUT BILE ACIDS

Bile is secreted by the liver cells and stored in gall bladder until needed in duodenum

maximum volume it can hold 3O to 6O ml

Bile acids is of two ,

 Primary bile acids : Cholic acid , Chenodeoxycholic acid

 Secondary bile acids: Deoxycholic acid , Lithocholic acid

FORMATION OF BILE :

CHOLESTROL [precursor of bile]

Synthesis

Primary bile acids [liver ]

Cholic acid chenodeoxycholic acid

Bacterial action

Secondary bile acids [intestine]

Deoxycholic acid lithocholic acid

Recirculated to the liver for bile synthesis

[17 times ]

Excreted in feces
Cholesterol is the precursor of the bile salts ,the cholesterol is first converted into cholic acid
and chenodeoxycholic acid . These acids combine in turn combine with glycine and taurine
to form glyco and taurine conjugated bile acids

Intestinal bacteria convert the primary bile acids into secondary bile acids, which are

reabsorbed along with unchanged primary bile acids in the terminal ileum.

In experimental animals, some types of fiber have been shown to increase bile acid excretion
as well as increase pool size and turnover of bile acids.

[NOTE : The bile acid pool size is defined as the total amount of bile acids circulating in the
enterohepatic circulation.]

ACTION OF PRIMARY BILE ACIDS

CHOLIC ACID

Cholic acid is a major primary bile acid produced in the liver and is usually conjugated
with glycine or taurine. It facilitates fat absorption and cholesterol excretion. Bile acids are
steroid acids found predominantly in the bile of mammals.. Bile acids are physiological
detergents that facilitate excretion, absorption, and transport of fats and sterols in the
intestine and liver.

Bile acids are also steroidal amphipathic molecules derived from the catabolism
of cholesterol. They modulate bile flow and lipid secretion, are essential for the absorption of
dietary fats and vitamins, and have been implicated in the regulation of all the key enzymes
involved in cholesterol homeostasis. Bile acids recirculate through the liver, bile ducts, small
intestine, and portal vein to form an enterohepatic circuit.. The unique detergent properties
of bile acids are essential for the digestion and intestinal absorption of hydrophobic
nutrients.
CHENODEOXY CHOLIC ACID

Chenodeoxycholic acid (or Chenodiol) is an epimer of ursodeoxycholic acid (DB01586).

Chenodeoxycholic acid is a bile acid naturally found in the body. It works by dissolving
the cholesterol that makes gallstones and inhibiting production of cholesterol in the liver
and absorption in the intestines, which helps to decrease the formation of gallstones. It can
also reduce the amount of other bile acids that can be harmful to liver cells when levels are
elevated.

DIETARY FIBRE IN RELATION WITH LOWERING SERUM CHOLESTROL LEVELS :

 As lipids and bile binds with the fibre they cannot undergo digestion and absorption
and leads to increased excretion of bile and cholesterol in the faeces
 The primary bile acids are not converted into secondary bile acids due to the binding
with fibre it prevents digestion and absorption of lipids .
 The recirculation of the bile acids back to the liver is also prevented , there is
decrease in the returned bile acids to the liver thereby the liver uses the cholesterol
from the blood serum for further production of bile which lowers serum cholesterol
level .
 The chenodeoxy cholic acid appears to inhibit the HMG CoA reductase [a regulatory
enzyme for cholesterol biosynthesis ] results in decreased hepatic cholesterol
synthesis .
 The bacterial degradation of the fiber leads to production of propionate or other
SCFA which results in lowered serum cholesterol concentrations and inhibitory effect
on fatty acid synthesis and cholesterol synthesis.