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. 1972 Sep 30;3(5830):813–815. doi: 10.1136/bmj.3.5830.813

Bile Acids: A pH Dependent Antibacterial System in the Gut?

I W Percy-Robb, J G Collee
PMCID: PMC1786299  PMID: 4342502

Abstract

Bile acids are secreted in the bile in the form of conjugates and many species of intestinal bacteria can rapidly deconjugate them. Studies have shown that an unconjugated bile acid may have bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects, which are pH dependent. It is proposed that unconjugated bile acids may be involved in a homoeostatic mechanism, preventing bacterial growth in the small intestine.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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