In vitro sorption of sodium cholate and cholesterol by chemically modified polysaccharides (N-octadecylpectinamide, N,O-palmitoyl chitosan) was studied in comparison with the initial polysaccharides (HM pectin, chitosan) and cholestyramine, an effective synthetic sorbent of bile acids. It was found that both modified polysaccharides, but not initial ones, are able to bind bile acids and cholesterol effectively and thus can be used as cholestyramine replacers.