Effect of glycerophosphate on lithogenic bile. A new approach to treatment of cholelithiasis.

Previous studies in animals showed a twofold increase of bile-phospholipids when glycerophosphate, a precursor of phospholipids, was incorporated in chow diet. The present study evaluates the effect of short-term administration of beta-glycerophosphate on bile composition in patients with lithogenic bile. 10 patients with lithogenic bile were selected for study; 9 had cholelithiasis. Fasting hepatic and gallbladder bile before and after treatment with beta-glycerophosphate (6 g. daily for six days) was analysed for molar ratios of cholesterol (Ch.), total bile-salts (B.S.), and total phospholipids (P.L.). The molar ratios of Ch. divided by B.S. + P.L. in hepatic bile decreased in 9 of the 10 patients (P less than 0.01). Thus in all but 1 of the 10 patients the hepatic bile became less lithogenic. This observation was confirmed by plotting the molar percentages on triangular coordinates. The results suggest no change in cholesterol concentrations but an increase of phospholipid and bile-salt concentrations. The composition of the gallbladder bile did not change. These preliminary studies indicate that beta-glycerophosphate should be evaluated as a potential new therapeutic agent for dissolution of cholesterol gallstones in man.