Biliary excretion of lead in the rat

Abstract

Studies have been made in the rat of the elimination of ²¹⁰Pb in the bile after the intravenous injection of 100 μg. of lead.

Four groups of rats were used: in two the bile was drained by cannulation of the bile duct, and in the other two the bile flow to the duodenum was interrupted by ligation or division of the bile duct. The radioactivity of the bile, of the intestinal walls, and of the intestinal contents and faeces was determined.

The results showed that lead is eliminated from the liver mainly by the bile, thus excluding passage through the intestinal walls into the faeces as important under these conditions.