The bile acid TUDCA and neurodegenerative disorders: An overview

• Published in: Life sciences (1973) 2021-05, Vol.272, p.119252-119252, Article 119252
• Main Authors: Zangerolamo, Lucas, Vettorazzi, Jean F., Rosa, Lucas R.O., Carneiro, Everardo M., Barbosa, Helena C.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Alzheimer Disease - drug therapy; Alzheimer's disease; Animals; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Bile; Bile - metabolism; Bile acids; Bile Acids and Salts - metabolism; Conjugation; Endoplasmic reticulum; Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress - drug effects; Herbal medicine; Humans; Huntington's disease; Huntingtons disease; Medical treatment; Medicine, Chinese Traditional - methods; Movement disorders; Neurodegeneration; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neurodegenerative Diseases - drug therapy; Neuroprotection; Oxidative stress; Parkinson's disease; Taurine; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid - metabolism; Taurochenodeoxycholic Acid - pharmacology; Tauroursodeoxycholic acid; Traditional Chinese medicine; Ursodeoxycholic acid; Ursodeoxycholic Acid - metabolism; Ursodeoxycholic Acid - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0024-3205; 1879-0631
• DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2021.119252

Bear bile has been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years due to its therapeutic potential and clinical applications. The tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), one of the acids found in bear bile, is a hydrophilic bile acid and naturally produced in the liver by conjugation of taurine to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Several studies have shown that TUDCA has neuroprotective action in several models of neurodegenerative disorders (ND), including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease, based on its potent ability to inhibit apoptosis, attenuate oxidative stress, and reduce endoplasmic reticulum stress in different experimental models of these illnesses. Our research extends the knowledge of the bile acid TUDCA actions in ND and the mechanisms and pathways involved in its cytoprotective effects on the brain, providing a novel perspective and opportunities for treatment of these diseases. [Display omitted]