INTRODUCTION Age, gender, ethnicity, geographic location, diet, obesity, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia are known risk factors for development of gallstone disease (GD). We describe the development of four cases of symptomatic GD including a case of acute cholecystitis in Indian Antarctic expedition members during 1 year of polar residence and their response to 6 months of ursodeoxycholic a...

Unconjugated bile acids were measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in the serum of two subjects throughout a 24 hour period and in two other subjects over a six hour period after breakfast. Unconjugated bile acids were found in all samples of serum and included cholic, chenodeoxycholic, deoxycholic, 3f3,7a-dihydroxy-5,/-cholanic (isochenodeoxycholic), ursodeoxycholic, 3/3,7,B3dihy...

1. During the pre-replicative phase of the regenerating rat liver some interesting changes occur, which might selectively modify some mechanisms involved in bile formation, such as those responsible for the hypercholeretic effect of ursodeoxycholic acid. The aim of the present work was to gain information on this point. 2. Anaesthetized male Wistar rats (approximately 250 g) were used. The anim...

Little is known about the effects of cholesterol-lowering agents in hypercholesterolemic patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). The aim of this study was to compare the changes induced by simvastatin and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) on cholesterol metabolism in patients with PBC and preserved liver function. Six patients with PBC were administered simvastatin (40 mg/day) for 30 days and,...

(Abstracted from Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021;6:547–558) Ursodeoxycholic acid (UA) is a common treatment for intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP), and its use supported by the Society Maternal-Fetal Medicine. However, evidence benefit UA to fetal neonatal outcomes in this patient population unclear.

The objective was to see the efficacy of ursodeoxycholic acid in improving the ALT levels in patients suffering from chronic liver disease. Thirty patients suffering from chronic liver disease (either B or C) were given oral ursodeoxycholic acid in a dose of 250 mg twice a day for 4 months. Their blood biochemistry and haematology were repeated monthly for 7 months i.e. 4 months of therapy and ...