title: Therapeutic Mechanisms of Bile Acids and Nor-Ursodeoxycholic Acid in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.
abstract: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most rapidly rising clinical problems in the 21st century. So far no effective drug treatment has been established to cure this disease. Bile acids (BAs) have a variety of signaling properties, which can be used therapeutically for modulating hepatic metabolism and inflammation. A side-chain shorted derivative of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is 24 nor-ursodeoxycholic acid (NorUDCA) and it represents a new class of drugs for treatment of liver diseases. NorUDCA has unique biochemical and therapeutic properties, since it is relatively resistant to conjugation with glycine or taurine compared to UDCA. NorUDCA undergoes cholehepatic shunting, resulting in ductular targeting, bicarbonate-rich hypercholeresis, and cholangiocyte protection. Furthermore, it showed anti-fibrotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-lipotoxic properties in several animal models. As such, NorUDCA is a promising new approach in the treatment of cholestatic and metabolic liver diseases. This review is a summary of current BA-based therapeutic approaches in the treatment of the fatty liver disease.
authors.affiliation: Hans Popper Laboratory of Molecular Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Internal Medicine III, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Steinacher
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Claudel
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Trauner
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001647:Bile Acids and Salts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D008024:Ligands; D065626:Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000099150:Receptor, Farnesoid X-Activated
chemical_list: D001647:Bile Acids and Salts; D008024:Ligands; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid; D000099150:Receptor, Farnesoid X-Activated