Effects of Pectin on the Lithogenic Parameters of Bile in Gastrectomized Rats Fed a Cholesterol-Free Diet

This study was designed to investigate the effect of pectin on the composition of bile in total gastrectomized rats. Rats were divided into the following three groups: sham-operated rats fed the pectin-free diet, gastrectomized rats fed the Pectin-free diet, and gastrectomized rats fed the Pectin-free diet supplemented with 5% pectin (Pectin diet). The rats were fed the respective test diet for 70 days. Between the two groups fed the Pectin-free diet, the bile flow, the biliary secretion of bile acid, cholesterol and phospholipid, the proportion of cholic acid (CA) , the cholic acid/chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) (CA/CDCA) ratio, and the primary bile acids/secondary bile acids (P/S) ratio were higher in the bile in gastrectomized rats, but the proportions of CDCA, ursodeoxycholic acid and lithocholic acid in the bile were lower in gastrectomized rats than in sham-operated rats. The bile flow and the biliary secretions of bile acid, cholesterol and phospholipid did not vary between the two groups of gastrectomized rats. The proportion of CDCA in bile was significantly higher and the CA/CDCA ratio in bile was significantly lower in the gastrectomized rats fed Pectin diet , but the proportion of the deoxycholic acid in the bile was significantly lower in the gastrectomized rats fed the Pectin diet than in the gastrectomized rats fed the Pectin free-diet. The P/S ratio was not affected by the Pectin diet feeding. The results of this study suggest that pectin may reduce the lithogenicity of bile after gastrectomy by modifying the composition of bile acids in bile.