We performaed an experimental study to see whether a high carbohydrate diet induces pigment stone formation in hamster. In addition, we studied the effect of portal bacteremia on this highcarbohydrate diet induced stone formation.
Ninty male hamsters were divided into 3 groups (Group 1: control diet-fed group, Group 2: high-carbohydrate diet fed group, Group 3: high-carbohydrate diet fed and portal bactermia group). The high-carbohydrate diet was 65% carbohydrate (43% in
control
chow), mainly composed of rice, and portal bacteremia was induced by injection of endogenous Escherichia coli into portal vein. The hamsters were sacrificed after 12 weeks of feeding. The stones were analyzed by infrared spectrophotometry and
hepatic
bile was analyzed.
Stone was not found in any of the animals in Group 1, but black-colored stones were found in 24 out of 30 animals in Group 2 (p<0.0001 vs Group 1). In Group 3, 12 animals survived and all of them developed stones. There was no significant
difference
between Group 2 and 3 in stone formation. The stone composition was similar to that of human calcium bilirubinate stone. In hepatic bile analysis, the phospholipid and total bile acid level in Group 2 were higher than those of Group 1 (p<0.05).
In conclusion, a high-carbohvdrate diet is a possible important etiologic factor of gallstone formation especially calcium bilirubinate stones. Increased level of phospholipid and total bile acid in hepatic bile may contribute to
high-carbohydrate
diet
induced gallstone formation.
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