title: Effect of ursodeoxycholic acid on serum liver enzymes and bile acid metabolism in chronic active hepatitis C virus infection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Many reports have revealed ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) to be effective against chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV). However, some cases resist this therapy and the mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, UDCA was administered to patients with chronic HCV and the correlation between the bile acids of the biliary bile and serum and the drug efficacy was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients were given 600 mg/day of UDCA for more than 24 weeks. The serum bile acid concentrations and biliary and serum bile acid were collected before and after 24 weeks of UDCA treatment, and composition determined by high-performance liquid chromatography.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment was effective in nine cases (ALT decreased to less than twice the normal values 80 IU/L) and ineffective in six cases. There was no significant difference in the serum bile acid concentrations before and after UDCA treatment between the values of both cases. After UDCA treatment, the serum percentage of UDCA (effective, 62.5 +/- 2.0; ineffective, 53.5 +/- 2.5, (P = 0.02)) and the percentage of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) showed no remarkable changes. In the biliary bile the percentage of CDCA (effective, 30.9 +/- 2.0; ineffective, 20.0 +/- 3.0, (P = 0.007)) and the percentage of UDCA showed no remarkable changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the effective cases, the percentage of UDCA in the serum and the percentage of CDCA in biliary bile were significantly higher than in the ineffective cases. This indicates that, when effective, CDCA decreases in hepatocytes and this reduction contributes to hepatoprotection.
authors: Department of Gastroenterology and Metabolism, Nagoya City University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Nagoya, Japan.
authors: Shunsuke
authors: S
authors: Nojiri
authors: Haruhisa
authors: H
authors: Nakao
authors: Fuminaka
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authors: Sugauchi
authors: Tomokatsu
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authors: Miyaki
authors: Katsuhiro
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authors: Senda
authors: Makoto
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authors: Sasaki
authors: Hiromi
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authors: Kataoka
authors: Takeshi
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authors: Kamiya
authors: Takahiro
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authors: Nakazawa
authors: Hirotaka
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authors: Ohara
authors: Etsuro
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authors: Orito
authors: Takashi
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authors: Joh