Gall duct cannulated rats were given daphnetin, umbelliferone, 4-hydroxy-coumarin, dicoumarol, 4,7-dihydroxycoumarin, 4,7-dimethyl-5-hydroxy-coumarin, coumarin-3-carboxylic acid, cinnamic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid by duodenal catheter at room temperature and output of bile flow was detected. All of the subjected compounds in this experiment indicated a significant effect on the biliary elimination except cinnamic acid alone. It is suggested that a relationship exists between chemical pattern and biological activity for coumarin derivatives and their precursors, and that the choleretic activity of these compounds requires hydroxylated cinnamic acid structure as the most fundamental chemical pattern.