Ursodeoxycholic acid: a promising therapeutic target for inflammatory bowel diseases?

The secondary bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has long been known to have medicinal properties. As the therapeutically active component of bear bile, it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a range of conditions, while manufactured UDCA has been used for decades...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of physiology: Gastrointestinal and liver physiology 2019-12, Vol.317 (6), p.G872-G881
Main Authors: Keely, Stephen J, Steer, Clifford J, Lajczak-McGinley, Natalia K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Gastrointestinal Agents - pharmacology
Humans
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - drug therapy
Models, Theoretical
Ursodeoxycholic Acid - pharmacology
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Summary:The secondary bile acid ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has long been known to have medicinal properties. As the therapeutically active component of bear bile, it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine to treat a range of conditions, while manufactured UDCA has been used for decades in Western medicine to treat cholestatic liver diseases. The beneficial qualities of UDCA are thought to be due to its well-established cytoprotective and anti-inflammatory actions. In addition to its established role in treating liver diseases, UDCA is now under investigation for numerous conditions associated with inflammation and apoptosis, including neurological, ocular, metabolic, and cardiovascular diseases. Here, we review the growing evidence base from in vitro and in vivo models to suggest that UDCA may also have a role to play in the therapy of inflammatory bowel diseases.
ISSN:0193-1857
1522-1547
DOI:10.1152/ajpgi.00163.2019