The population levels of intestinal microflora and bile acid composition in the digestive tract were examined in rats fed bile acids to determine the relationships between gastrointestinal microflora and the host. The population level of Bacteroides was increased in the ceca of rats fed cholic acid or deoxycholic acid. In the ileum, the concentration of conjugated bile acid in rats fed cholesterol, cholic acid, hyodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid was higher than that in control rats, and was very low in ceca and feces of all the rats. The concentration of total free bile acid was much higher in the ceca than in the ilea of rats fed hyodeoxycholic acid or lithocholic acid. Cholic acid and deoxycholic acid were found in the ilea, ceca and feces of the cholic acid-fed rats. In the deoxycholic acid-fed rats, cholic acid was localized in the ileum. 7-Ketodeoxycholic acid was also found in the ceca of the cholic acid-fed rats. 12-Ketolithocholic acid was found in the feces of rats fed cholic acid or deoxycholic acid. 3-Ketocholanic acid was found in some samples from the lithocholic acid-fed rats. Therefore, some kinds of bile acids influence the population levels of gastrointestinal microflora and bile acid composition in the intestine.