Bile acids play a major role in the enterohepatic circulation and the presence of specific bile acids contribute to normal colonic functioning. Defects in the development of this metabolic system from birth through childhood can lead to a number of complications, including constipation. In order to try and establish the presence, or lack thereof, of certain bile acids that may be indicative of a cause for constipation, fecal bile acids were extracted on a number of constipated and control patients 0-11 years of age and GC-MS analysis was performed. Despite not reaching a conclusion on the causation of constipation, the presence of novel "iso" bile acids was found which prompts further research. In addition to this finding, the largest known chromatographic and mass spectral library of bile acids was compiled.
