Chemical characterization of pigment gallstones using 13C nuclear magnetic resonance analysis

The unique ability of Carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance analysis with cross polarization/magic angle spinning techniques to investigate chemical structures of solids is used to probe the chemical characteristics of several gallstone types. New pulse program techniques are used to distinguish various carbon atoms in studying the polymeric nature of the black bilirubinoid pigment of pigment gallstones. Evidence for the involvement of the carboxyl group and noninvolvement of vinyl groups of bilirubinoids in the polymeric bond formation is presented. Conjugated bilirubin structures are found to be present in some solid residues from pigment stones extracted with acidic methanol/chloroform.