Bile acid assay

Bile acids are endogenous compounds derived from cholesterol, secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. They play an essential role in the digestion and absorption of fats by facilitating the emulsification and transport of lipids. Their measurement is a reference analytical tool, particularly in the context of animal health, to assess liver function, digestion or the quality of veterinary and nutritional formulations.

Importance of bile acid testing

Bile acid analysis is essential for several reasons:

• Animal health: assessment of hepatic metabolism and the digestive system in different species (ruminants, poultry, pets).
• Veterinary formulations: control of the concentration of bile acids in products intended to improve digestion or support liver function.
• Nutrition and supplements: standardization of enriched products, quality control of extracts and supplements intended for digestive regulation.
• Scientific research: metabolic studies or biomarkers of liver pathologies.

Analytical techniques used

Bile acid determination is performed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or by chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS, LC-MS/MS). These methods allow:

• efficient separation of different bile acids (cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, deoxycholic acid, etc.),
• precise and sensitive quantification, even at trace levels,
• adaptability to complex matrices, such as animal extracts or complete formulations.

Affected matrices

The test can be applied to a wide range of samples:

• animal extracts (liver, bile, serum),
• veterinary products and specific formulations,
• food supplements for digestion,
• raw materials from animal nutrition.

Industrial and scientific applications

Bile acid testing is commonly used in several contexts:

• animal health: clinical monitoring, assessment of digestive or hepatic disorders,
• veterinary industry: quality control of formulations enriched with bile acids or extracts for digestive purposes,
• nutraceutical industry: development of natural ingredients targeting digestion and lipid metabolism,
• research and development: identification of biomarkers in animal metabolic studies.

Additional analyses in the YesWeLab catalog

Bile acid testing can be combined with other useful animal health and nutrition tests:

• Urea determination for the evaluation of non-protein nitrogen,
• Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) assay for monitoring oxidative stress,
• Amino nitrogen assay for the evaluation of proteins and amino acids,
• TBARS assay to measure lipid oxidation.

YesWeLab Expertise

At YesWeLab, we work with a network of carefully selected partner laboratories, the majority of which are ISO 17025 and COFRAC certified and/or accredited. We select laboratories based on your specific needs, the matrices to be analyzed, and the required analytical methods. Thanks to our digital platform, you can centralize your requests, track the delivery and analysis of your samples, and obtain your results quickly and securely.