Biomaterial Database

Treatment of chronic liver disease with ursodeoxycholic acid. 1990

M Guslandi

Institute of Internal Medicine, University of Milan, Italy.

Evidence is accumulating that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), an agent widely employed for gallstone dissolution, exerts therapeutic effects in chronic liver disease. UDCA is thought to act mainly by reducing the detergent properties of bile, making it less toxic for the liver cells. Confirming the results of preliminary observations double-blind, placebo-controlled trials have shown that UDCA significantly decreased serum concentrations of liver enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transferase in primary biliary cirrhosis and other cholestatic conditions, as well as in chronic active hepatitis. A substantial improvement in liver histology has also been detected in UDCA-treated patients with primary biliary cirrhosis. The effect of UDCA in chronic hepatitis is currently a matter of investigation.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008105	Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary	FIBROSIS of the hepatic parenchyma due to obstruction of BILE flow (CHOLESTASIS) in the intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts (BILE DUCTS, INTRAHEPATIC; BILE DUCTS, EXTRAHEPATIC). Primary biliary cholangitis involves the destruction of small intra-hepatic bile ducts and decreased bile secretion. Secondary biliary cholangitis is produced by prolonged obstruction of large intrahepatic or extrahepatic bile ducts from a variety of causes.	Biliary Cirrhosis,Biliary Cirrhosis, Primary,Biliary Cirrhosis, Secondary,Cholangitis, Chronic Nonsuppurative Destructive,Liver Cirrhosis, Obstructive,Primary Biliary Cholangitis,Biliary Cirrhosis, Primary, 1,Primary Biliary Cirrhosis,Secondary Biliary Cholangitis,Secondary Biliary Cirrhosis,Biliary Cholangitides, Primary,Biliary Cholangitis, Primary,Biliary Cholangitis, Secondary,Cholangitides, Primary Biliary,Cholangitis, Primary Biliary,Cholangitis, Secondary Biliary,Cirrhosis, Biliary,Cirrhosis, Secondary Biliary,Liver Cirrhoses, Biliary,Obstructive Liver Cirrhosis,Primary Biliary Cholangitides,Secondary Biliary Cholangitides
D008111	Liver Function Tests	Blood tests that are used to evaluate how well a patient's liver is working and also to help diagnose liver conditions.	Function Test, Liver,Function Tests, Liver,Liver Function Test,Test, Liver Function,Tests, Liver Function
D002779	Cholestasis	Impairment of bile flow due to obstruction in small bile ducts (INTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS) or obstruction in large bile ducts (EXTRAHEPATIC CHOLESTASIS).	Bile Duct Obstruction,Biliary Stasis,Bile Duct Obstructions,Biliary Stases,Cholestases,Duct Obstruction, Bile,Duct Obstructions, Bile,Obstruction, Bile Duct,Obstructions, Bile Duct,Stases, Biliary,Stasis, Biliary
D006521	Hepatitis, Chronic	INFLAMMATION of the LIVER with ongoing hepatocellular injury for 6 months or more, characterized by NECROSIS of HEPATOCYTES and inflammatory cell (LEUKOCYTES) infiltration. Chronic hepatitis can be caused by viruses, medications, autoimmune diseases, and other unknown factors.	Chronic Hepatitis,Cryptogenic Chronic Hepatitis,Hepatitis, Chronic, Cryptogenic,Hepatitis, Chronic Active,Hepatitis, Chronic Persistent,Chronic Active Hepatitis,Chronic Hepatitis, Cryptogenic,Chronic Persistent Hepatitides,Chronic Persistent Hepatitis,Hepatitis, Cryptogenic Chronic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014580	Ursodeoxycholic Acid	An epimer of chenodeoxycholic acid. It is a mammalian bile acid found first in the bear and is apparently either a precursor or a product of chenodeoxycholate. Its administration changes the composition of bile and may dissolve gallstones. It is used as a cholagogue and choleretic.	Deoxyursocholic Acid,3 alpha,7 beta-Dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic Acid,Cholit-Ursan,Cholofalk,Delursan,Destolit,Sodium Ursodeoxycholate,Urdox,Ursacholic Acid,Urso,Urso Heumann,Ursobilane,Ursochol,Ursodiol,Ursofalk,Ursogal,Ursolite,Ursolvan,3 alpha,7 beta Dihydroxy 5 beta cholan 24 oic Acid,Acid, Deoxyursocholic,Acid, Ursacholic,Acid, Ursodeoxycholic,Ursodeoxycholate, Sodium