Abstract

Extrahepatic cholestasis produced by bile duct ligation decreased the net hepatic uptake of organic anions including sllfobromophthalein, sulfobromophthalein glutathione and phenol-3,6-dibromophthalein disulfonate, and the neutral organic compound, ouabain. The net hepatic uptake of procaine amide ethobromide, an organic cation was not similarly affected. Impairment of net hepatic uptake by bile duct ligation was demonstrated by reduced liver concentration and content of administered compound despite higher plasma concentration. Acute bile duct ligation did not alter the amount of hepatic cytoplasmic anion binding proteins. The impaired net hepatic uptake of sulfobromophthalein in bile duct-ligated rats was reversed by re-establishing bile flow. Deleterious effects of endogenous bile or bile constituents and specific alteration of membrane carrier proteins are considered possible contributing factors to the impaired net hepatic uptake process observed in bile duct-ligated rats.