Bile composition is very complex and varies according to the nutritional state of the individual. The main components include bile acids (also called bile salts), phospholipids (mainly phosphatidylcholine [PC]), cholesterol, bilirubin (mostly in its conjugated form), inorganic salts (potassium, sodium and bicarbonate), as well as very small amounts of copper and other metals (Figure 1). read more
The composition of gallbladder bile is 97% water, 0.7% bile salts, 0.2% bilirubin, 0.51% fats (cholesterol, fatty acids, and lecithin), and 200 meq/l inorganic salts. Bile was the yellow bile in the four humor system of medicine, the standard of medical practice in Europe from around 500 BCE to the early 19th century. read more
Components of Bile. A general assessment of the major constituents of bile are listed in Table 1, recognizing that considerable species variations exist. Bile is a highly complex secretion which is aqueous in nature and contains less than 5% solid contents in most species . read more