Bilirubin is a viscous, brownish-yellow substance that is a natural byproduct of liver processes like breaking down old red blood cells. Normally, it is excreted from the body without cause for ...

Two recent observations linking these phenobarbital-induced changes in the liver with modifications of bilirubin metabolism have caught the fancy of hepatologists. As discussed by Robinson et al.

Conjugation of bilirubin and delivery to the intestine doesn't necessarily lead to excretion of the substance. Neonatal intestines contain beta-glucuronidase, an enzyme capable of reducing ...