The origin, mechanism, and significance of the bile duct proliferation (BDP) associated with cholestasis remain unexplained. This study examined the effect of oral administration of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on both BDP and cholestasis in the rat. After bile duct ligation, male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated for 30 days with either UDCA (5 mg/day) (group A) or saline solution (group B). Animals were sacrificed at day 30. The serum activity of aminotransferase (ALT, AST), alkaline phosphatase, and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the UDCA-treated rats. Total serum bilirubin and total serum bile acids were lower (P < 0.001) in group A. Moreover, the control of BA in bile was reduced also (P < 0.02). Conversely, serum cholesterol levels were not different between the two groups. Histological examination showed that the number of ductular cells in the portal areas was significantly (P < 0.001) reduced in UDCA-treated as compared to saline-treated rats. The replication activity, assessed as the number of bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells, was also significantly lower in treated animals (33 +/- 11 vs 64 +/- 22 per 1000 cells; P < 0.001). Lobular bile ductules were three times larger in group B, and extrahepatic duct measurements confirmed this increase in size of the larger biliary ducts (P < 0.001). These findings demonstrate that UDCA reduces BDP in response to BD ligation. Although the mechanism(s) of this effect is still hypothetical, UDCA may reduce the level of irritating bile salts such as chenodeoxycholic acid and lithocolate and increase periductular bile acid recirculation.
