Marek Rác
Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a physiological steroid, choleretic, hydrophilic bile acid. Therapeutically it is used
for hepatoprotective effect. UDCA treatment modifies the composition of the bile acids. UDCA treatment reduces
the proportion of hydrophobic endogenous bile acids and increases the proportion of non-toxic hydrophilic.
UDCA has a choleretic effect, also cytoprotective, antiapoptotic and immunomodulatory effects. UDCA
treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) in a field of cholestatic injury is the first and most important documented
indication. UDCA increased the time to progression of cirrhosis, survival and delayed time to onset of
gastroesophageal varices in PBC. Significant improvement of abnormal liver function tests can be achieved with
UDCA in primary sclerosing cholangitis, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, liver injury in the context of cystic
fibrosis, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and drug-induced liver injury.