The effect of obstructive jaundice on systemic concentrations of bile acids, histamine and antibodies to the core region of endotoxin glycolipid

Systemic endotoxaemia contributes to the high morbidity and mortality of jaundiced patiens undergoing surgery. In this study, correlations between systemic endotoxaemia (assessed by measuring antibodies to the core-glycolipid region of endotoxin, a-CGL), bile acids and blood histamine were investigated in a bile duct ligation (BDL) animal model of obstructive jaundice. Three weeks after BDL, systemic a-CGL (p<0.0001), total blood histamine (p<0.02) and bile acid concentrations (e.g. taurocholate,p<0.001) were significantly elevated in BDL animals compared to control or sham operated rats. Additionally, total blood histamine correlated significantly with plasma taurocholate (r=0.83,p=0.011). High circulating levels of endotoxin and bile acids may result in mast cell activation and/ or histamine synthesis in jaundiced animals, which may contribute to the pathophysiology of complications seen in cholestasis.