Bile-Expelling Agent

Bile (or gall) is a digestive juice secreted by special liver cells - hepatocytes. Bile is assembled in the gall-bladder and then through the common bile-duct enters the intestines where it aids in the processes of the digestion.

Bile contains water, cholesterol, bile pigments(bilirubin and biliverdin), lechitin and bile salts(sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate).

Bile possesses the variety of functions:

• emulsifies fats and increases their absorption in the small intestine
• takes part in the absorption of the fat-soluble vitamins D, E, K and A
• excretes bilirubin (the hemoglobin breakdown product) which gives bile its color
• excretes cholesterol
• activates pancreatic lipase
• suppresses the action of stomach proteinases
• regulates the intestine peristalsis

The main reasons of bile expelling disorders are : alcohol drinking, viral infection and some chemicals which cause damage of the liver cells . These disorders can cause grave consequences. It is necessary to begin appropriate treatment in order to avoid the worsening of the disease symptoms.

In the treatment of bile expelling disorders 2 groups of medicines are used:

• Medicines which increase bile production by the liver cells.
• Medicines which promote the bile moving through the bile-ducts into the intestine.

Many bile expelling agents work both ways. Antibiotics and spasmolytics sometimes can be used along with bile expelling agents to make the treatment more effective. In some severe conditions surgical operations are possible.