Protective Effects of Norursodeoxycholic Acid Versus Ursodeoxycholic Acid on Thioacetamide-induced Rat Liver Fibrosis.

Background/objectives: Effects of norursodeoxycholic acid (norUDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on liver fibrosis progression and liver fibrosis reversal in thioacetamide (TAA)-treated rats were studied.

Methods: Advanced liver fibrosis was induced by TAA treatment (200 mg/kg, i.p.

Ursodeoxycholic acid dose-dependently improves liver injury in rats fed a methionine- and choline-deficient diet.

Aim:   The data on the beneficial effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are controversial. The difference of opinion is connected with UDCA dosage to be used. Therefore, we evaluated the dose-dependent efficacy of UDCA in experimental NASH.

Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment in preterm infants: a pilot study for the prevention of cholestasis associated with total parenteral nutrition.

In a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, the efficacy and safety of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) was evaluated in preterm infants, in terms of its potential impact on fat absorption, advancement of enteral feeding, development of cholestasis, growth, nutritional status, and metabolic status. Although fecal fat excretion slightly decreased and achievement of full enteral feeding was earlier in the UDCA group, these differences were not significant. Interestingly, whereas serum gamma-glutamyl transferase activity increased during the parenteral nutrition period in the placebo group, we observed a constant and significant decrease in the UDCA group.

Predictors of premature delivery in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy.

Aim: To evaluate the predictive value of clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters for prematurity in intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP).

Methods: Sixty symptomatic patients with ICP were included in this retrospective analysis. Preterm delivery was defined as delivery before 37 wk gestation.

Ursodeoxycholic acid differentially affects three types of sphingomyelinase in human colon cancer Caco 2 cells.

We investigated the effects of UDCA on sphingomyelinase (SMase) in Caco 2 cells cultured in monolayer and polarized conditions. Alkaline SMase activity was high in polarized cells whereas, acid and neutral SMase activities were high in monolayer cells. In polarized cells, UDCA increased alkaline SMase expression and caspase 3 activity but had no effect on acid and neutral SMases.

Evaluation of oral budesonide in the treatment of active distal ulcerative colitis.

Budesonide, a topical corticosteroid, has proven useful for the management of Crohn's disease. Its efficacy is similar to prednisone but it has fewer side effects. A new pH-modified release capsule (Budenofalk) is probably efficacious in distal ulcerative colitis.

Ursodeoxycholic acid does not affect ethinylestradiol bioavailability in women taking oral contraceptives.

Objective: Contraception is recommended for female patients during ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) treatment for the potential teratogenic effect of this bile acid, and the aim of our study was to determine whether this treatment affects the bioavailability of ethinylestradiol (EE2).

Methods: In this double-blind, randomised study, we measured EE2 pharmacokinetics in eight healthy volunteers randomly allocated to receive oral contraceptive (30 microg EE2 and 75 microg gestodene) plus either UDCA (8-10 mg/kg per day) or placebo for 21 days during the first of three consecutive menstrual cycles. After a washout period during the second cycle, the subjects received the alternative treatment during the third menstrual cycle.

The protective effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in alloxan-induced diabetes.

The purpose of this work was to study the effect of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on the morphological and functional alterations in pancreatic islet beta-cells in rats with diabetes induced by alloxan (150 mg kg(-1), i.p.).