Y. Noda et al., EFFECTS OF FERRIC CITRATE INJECTION ON THE COMPOSITION OF BILE-ACIDS IN RATS, Research communications in chemical pathology and pharmacology, 81(3), 1993, pp. 373-376
Ferric citrate was examined for its possible induction of acute and ch
ronic changes in bile acids in rats. Three hours after a single intrav
enous Fe(III) injection both the biliary bile acid level and the perce
ntage of cholic acid in bile were significantly higher in treated rats
than in control rats. However, no significant difference was observed
after treatment with the same daily dose for one week. The superoxide
dismutase (SOD) activity in liver tissue increased in the chronic gro
up. These results suggest that oxygen free radicals, mainly the hydrox
yl radical, promote hydroxylation during bile acid biosynthesis by enh
anced monooxygenase activity.