Δ22‐β‐Muricholic acid in monoassociated rats and conventional ratsacid in monoassociated rats and conventional rats

Abstract
Bile acids were analyzed in the bile, small and large intestines, and feces of germ‐free rats after a single inoculation with one of six intestinal bacteria that had been originally isolated from human feces.Bacteroides vulgatus andBifidobacterium longum preferentially deconjugated tauro‐β‐muricholic acid and taurocholic acid, respectively.Clostridium ramosum, Peptostreptococcus productus andLactobacillus gasseri deconjugated both bile acids, butEscherichia coli did not deconjugate either one. Rats inoculated with bacteria that deconjugated tauro‐β‐muricholic acid produced Δ22‐β‐Muricholic acid in the feces. In contrast, Δ22‐cholic acid could not be detected in rats inoculated with bacteria that deconjugated taurocholic acid.