Quantitative evaluation of enteric microbial overgrowth

Claim 1

A method for detecting in the intestines of an animal organism an overgrowth of bacteria which are normally present there in lesser amounts, such an abnormal concentration manifesting itself by symptoms which are common to other physical maladies, which comprises orally administering to said animal a measured amount of a chemical conjugate one component of which is selected from the group consisting of: cholic acid chenodesoxycholic acid lithocholic acid dehydrocholic acid cholanic acid allocholanic acid dehydrodesoxycholanic acid desoxybilianic acid isodesoxybilianic acid bilianic acid etiocholanic acid 12-ketocholanic acid hyodesoxycholic acid norcholanic acid ursocholanic acid hyobeoxycholic acid 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,6α-diolacetate 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,12α-diol difurmate 5-β-cholanic acid-7α,12α-diol 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,7α-diol-12-one 7-ketodeoxy cholic acid 7,12-diketocholanic acid 3,12-diketocholanic acid, and 3,7-diketocholanic acid and the other component of which is para-amino benzoic acid which is absorbed from the intestines and excreted in the urine without substantial metabolic alteration, said conjugate being one which is cleaved into said components by the enzymes produced by said intestinal bacteria, collecting urine from said animal at a time interval after such administration and assaying it for said amino acid content, a content higher than an established average content found in urine from like healthy animals under the same method conditions being taken as indicative of an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria.

Claim 2

A method for detecting in the intestines of an animal organism an overgrowth of bacteria which are normally present there in lesser amounts, such an abnormal concentration manifesting itself by symptoms which are common to other physical maladies, which comprises orally administering to said animal a measured amount of a chemical conjugate one component of which is selected from the group consisting of: cholic acid chenodesoxycholic acid lithocholic acid dehydrocholic acid cholanic acid allocholanic acid dehydrodesoxycholanic acid desoxybilianic acid isodesoxybilianic acid bilianic acid etiocholanic acid 12-ketocholanic acid hyodesoxycholic acid norcholanic acid ursocholanic acid hyobeoxycholic acid 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,6α-diolacetate 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,12α-diol difurmate 5-β-cholanic acid-7α,12α-diol 5-β-cholanic acid-3α,7α-diol-12-one 7-ketodeoxy cholic acid 7,12-diketocholanic acid 3,12-diketocholanic acid, and 3,7-diketocholanic acid and the other component of which is para-amino benzoic acid which is absorbed from the intestines and excreted in the urine without substantial metabolic alteration, said conjugate being one which is cleaved into said components by the enzymes produced by said intestinal bacteria, collecting urine from said animal at a time interval after such administration and assaying it for said amino acid content, a content higher than an established average content found in urine from like healthy animals under the same method conditions being taken as indicative of an overgrowth of intestinal bacteria.