title: Rationale for therapy with ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with cholestatic liver disease.
abstract: Ursodeoxycholic acid is increasingly used in the treatment of a variety of cholestatic diseases such as primary biliary cirrhosis. The present article summarizes current understanding of the mechanism of action of ursodeoxycholic acid in these diseases. Apart from a direct hepatoprotective effect, ursodeoxycholic acid also influences the enterohepatic circulation with decreased ileal reabsorption and increased faecal excretion of potentially hepatotoxic endogenous bile salts. In addition, a cholehepatic shunt mechanism and immune modulating effects may also be important.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital, Utrecht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: van Erpecum
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: van de Meeberg
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: van Berge Henegouwen
mesh_terms: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000378:metabolism; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000150:complications; D004764:Enterohepatic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000188:drug therapy; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid