Abstract
We analyzed both calcium concentration in bile and inhibitory effect of bile on β-glucuronidase activity in order to study the regulatory factors for the precipitation of calcium bilirubinate. Hepatic bile samples with and without gallstone disease was used in this study. The centrifuged supernatants of each bile samples were divided into two fractions using ultrafiltration technique (fraction molecular weight 1, 000). Both fractions and the supernatants were tested for the inhibitory effect on bacterial β-glucuronidase activity and the calcium concentration. Almost all inhibitory substances of β-glucuronidase existed in a high molecular phase of bile. In the bile with calcium bilirubinate stones, both inhibitory effect on bacterial β-glucuronidase and calcium trapping capacity were significantly lower than in the bile with mixed stone and without gallstone.
