Re: lecithin?

Lecithin will not not dissolve Gallstones which have 'set' because at this stage in there development they are polymerised by the proteins within the mucin layer of the gallbladder.

It has been demonstrated that bile from people without Gallstones takes about 15 days to form the nucleus of a gallstone. Bile of people with cholesterol gallstones, which, usually already contains cholesterol crystals has a nucleation time of about 3 days. Nucleation of cholesterol occurs far more rapidly from gallbladder bile of people with cholesterol Gallstones than from hepatic bile in the same person, even when hepatic bile samples are supersaturated with cholesterol. The addition of even small amounts of gallbladder bile to the hepatic bile samples causes rapid nucleation. These observations have led to the isolation of proteins in the gallbladder that promote or retard the nucleation of cholesterol crystals. At least five proteins have been identified as nucleation promoters, in addition to gallbladder mucoprotein.

The cholesterol saturation index is determined by the ratio of the measured concentration of bile salts and phospholipids compared to the concentration of cholesterol. If this ratio is greater than 1, bile is saturated with respect to cholesterol, thus producing the environment for the precipitation of cholesterol to form globules. A decrease in bile salts can increase the cholesterol saturation index without an increase in cholesterol concentration. Once the globules are present, they aggregate together in the supersaturated bile and crystallization occurs, resulting in cholesterol monohydrate crystals that can agglomerate to form macroscopic gallstones.

Good bile quality is dependant upon the fine balance of three chemicals: bile salts, cholesterol and lecithin; and regular efficient emptying. Even small deviation from the norm can result in anomalies. Even within the normal range of bile chemistry gallstones because of the metastability relationship between bile salts and cholesterol. AT low lecithin levels viscelles and micelles which are globule like particles or fatty or plastic like materials.

The mechanics of the liver compared with other therapies is that it exercises the contracting of the gallbladder and dilation of the biliary system to expel 'stale' bile and overcome biliary stasis. This may help overcome rapid cholesterol nuclearisation in many cases.