Therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid in cholestatic liver disease.
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) has beneficial effects on symptoms, liver biochemistry and, possibly, liver histology in primary biliary cirrhosis and other cholestatic liver diseases. UDCA may exert these beneficial effects by a direct hepatoprotective effect, by influencing the enterohepatic circulation of endogenous bile salts, by enhancing bile flow through a cholehepatic shunt mechanism or by immune modulation. In the present article, established and potential indications for UDCA are reviewed.
Dept. of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Utrecht, The Netherlands.
P C
PC
Van de Meeberg
K J
KJ
van Erpecum
G P
GP
van Berge-Henegouwen
D015209:Cholangitis, Sclerosing / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002780:Cholestasis, Intrahepatic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D003550:Cystic Fibrosis / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016031:Liver Transplantation; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid