The bile acid, chenodeoxycholic acid,has been used in the " medical " treatment of patients with presumed cholesterol gallstones. In fifteen patients with normally functioning gallbladders, bile lipid composition was measured before and after 3 months of bile-acid therapy. 

Chenodeoxycholic acid treatment significantly improved cholesterol solubility in bile as shown by an increase in the cholesterol solubilising capacity of bile (the bile-salt + phospholipid/cholesterol ratio) and by a reduction in the molar ratio of cholesterol in bile. Twelve gallstone patients with " functioning " gallbladders have had repeat X-rays after 6 months of medical therapy. In three patients the gallstones have disappeared, in three the stones are appreciably smaller, while in six there has, as yet, been no change in gallstone size. Three patients with " non-functioning " gallbladders Chenodeoxycholic acid have shown no return of function after treatment. Fasting serum-lipids and circulating liver enzymes were measured at monthly intervals. Serum-triglyceride levels fell during treatment. The only abnormality in hepatic function was a slight rise in isocitric dehydrogenase levels.