Metabolism of cholestane-3β,5α,6β-triol—I: The fate of cholestanetriol in the rat

Abstract The metabolic fate of cholestanetriol in the rat was studied. Twenty-four hr after the oral administration of 4- 14 C-cholestanetriol, 84 per cent of the radioactivity recovered was present in the feces plus intestinal contents; 16 per cent of the recovered 14 C remained in the body. Ninety per cent of the radioactivity present in the body was equally distributed among the intestinal wall, carcass and blood. Of the remaining organs, only the liver contained a significant amount of radioactivity. The 14 C present in the feces was equally distributed between neutral steroidal metabolites and bile acids. Two major neutral metabolites were found. The radioactivity present in the bile acids was separated into seven areas by thin-layer chromatography. Two major radioactive areas were found corresponding to: (1) a trihydroxy bile acid, and (2) a bile acid with a mobility intermediate between 7,12-diketolithocholic and hyodeoxycholic acids.