Effect of Pregnancy on the Excretion of Sulphobromophthalein in Bile

Abstract

A decreased plasma clearance of sulphobromophthalein (BSP) is often observed during the latter half of normal human pregnancy (Tindall and Beazley 1965). It also occurs during the ingestion of oral contraceptives (Roman and Hecker 1968) and after treatment with oestrogens at doses similar to those produced daily in late pregnancy (Kappas 1968). A reduction in bile flow has been described after oestrogen treatment in rats (Javitt and Harkavy 1969; Forker 1969; Kreek et al. 1967), but no attempts appear to have been made to associate changes in bile flow rate with alterations in BSP excretion.