This study was conducted to investigate the effects of administration of hydrocortisone on the bile acids composition of gallbladder bile in dogs. The dogs received hydrocortisone (median dose, 8.5 mg/kg) or a gelatin capsule (control group) orally every 12 hours for 84 days. Gallbladder bile samples were obtained from each dog at days 0, 28, 56 and 84 for differentiated quantification of unconjugated bile acids and taurine-conjugated and glycine-conjugated bile acids.
Treatment with hydrocortisone resulted in significant and reversible increases in the concentrations of unconjugated bile acids (cholic, chenodeoxycholic and deoxycholic acids) and a significant and reversible decrease in the concentration of total taurine-conjugated bile acids, compared with baseline or control group values. Treatment had no effect on bile concentrations of glycine-conjugated bile acids.
These data suggest similar bile acids changes could cause major alterations in gallbladder structure or function over time in hypercortisolemic dogs.
Source : P.K. Hook et al., 2011. Effect of twice-daily oral administration of hydrocortisone on the bile acids composition of gallbladder bile in dogs. AJVR 72: 1607-1612. doi: 10.2460/ajvr.72.12.1607
