Abstract
Sulfated and nonsulfated bile acid in urine of patients with hepatobiliary diseases was analyzed by using an Amberlite XAD-2 column, a Sephadex LH-20 column and gas chromatography.
In urine of patients with various hepatobiliary diseases, 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid was identified by gas chromato-mass spectrometry. The presence of 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid reflects an altered pathway of cholesterol catabolism besides the main pathway which involves the action of microsomal enzyme system.
The percentage of 3β-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid to total urinary bile acid was 15.7±11.5% in patients with hepatoma, 4.6±5.3% in metastatic cancerof the liver with jaundice, 9.6±9.9% in metastatic cancer of the liver without jaundice, 3.3±3.2% in acute hepatitis, 1.7±2.2% in chronic hepatitis, and 2.2±2.4% in liver cirrhosis. However, overlap of these percentage values between hepatoma and various hepatobiliary diseases was observed, so that significance in differential diagnosis for hepatoma is questionable.
