Hydrolysis of Conjugated Bile Acids by Extracellular Enzymes Present in Rat Intestinal Contents ∗

Conclusions

Rat cecal content contains extracellular enzymes which catalyze the hydrolysis of taurocholate, taurodeoxycholate and glycocholate. The activity is so high that it is reasonable to assume that the hydrolysis of conjugates entering the cecum is brought about by these extracellular enzymes. During in vitro hydrolysis with these enzymes no metabolism of the bile acid molecule occurs.

The distribution of the taurocholate splitting activity in the intestinal tract is in agreement with its presumed microbial origin, i.e. little activity was found int he small intestinal contents as compared with the cecal contents.