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Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Information about Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Ursodeoxycholic Acid Uses

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is used in the treatment of cholestatic liver diseases, primary biliary cirrhosis, alcoholic fatty liver disease, gallbladder stones and Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

How Ursodeoxycholic Acid works

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is a hepatoprotective medication. It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood and helps dissolve gallbladder stones that are composed mainly of cholesterol. It also improves liver enzymes, protects liver cells from injury caused due to toxic bile acids, and improves liver function.

Common side effects of Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Hair loss, Itching, Nausea, Rash, Headache, Back pain, Abdominal discomfort, Allergy, Chest pain, Fatigue, Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Vomiting, Joint pain, Joint inflammation, Muscle pain, Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), Bronchitis (inflammation of the airways), Cough, Sinus inflammation, Upper respiratory tract infection, Urinary tract infection

CONTENT DETAILS

Written By

Dr. Swati Mishra

BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Lalit Kanodia

MBA, MD Pharmacology

Written By

Dr. Sakshi Jain

MS, BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Varun Gupta

MD Pharmacology, MBBS

Written By

Dr. Sakshi Jain

MS, BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Shilpa Garcha

MD (Pharmacology), MBBS

Written By

Dr. Betina Chandolia

MDS, BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Lalit Kanodia

MBA, MD Pharmacology

Written By

Dr. Sakshi Sharma

BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Ashish Ranjan

MD (Pharmacology), MBBS

Written By

Dr. Anuj Saini

MMST, MBBS

Reviewed By

Dr. Varun Gupta

MD Pharmacology, MBBS

Written By

Dr. Betina Chandolia

MDS, BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Lalit Kanodia

MBA, MD Pharmacology

Written By

Dr. Betina Chandolia

MDS, BDS

Reviewed By

Dr. Ashish Ranjan

MD (Pharmacology), MBBS

Last updated

10 Apr 2025 | 04:43 AM (UTC)

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Available Medicine for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

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Expert advice for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Ursodeoxycholic Acid should be taken after a meal with a glass of milk or water.
Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid alcohol intake.
Diarrhea may occur as a side effect. Drink plenty of fluids and inform your doctor if diarrhea persists or if you find blood in your stools.
Your doctor may monitor your liver function and bilirubin levels every month for the next 3 months after the start of therapy, and every 6 months thereafter.
Do not stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor.
It protects the liver cells from toxins and helps the liver to perform its normal functions.
It should preferably be taken after meals. One of the doses should always be taken after your evening meal.
Diarrhea may occur as a side effect. Drink plenty of fluids and inform your doctor if diarrhea persists or if you find blood in your stools.
Do not take antacids that contain aluminum while you are taking Ursodeoxycholic Acid as this decreases the amount of Ursodeoxycholic Acid absorbed by your body.
Consult with your doctor if you are pregnant, planning pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Frequently asked questions for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Q. When should I take Ursodeoxycholic Acid?

The suitable timing of taking this medicine might differ depending upon your condition. Your doctor might instruct you to take 2 to 3 doses per day and suggest to take the last dose at bedtime. Ursodeoxycholic Acid should be taken with water milk and can be taken with food or after food. When prescribed for dissolving gallstones, it is usually suggested to be taken once daily at night. Ideally, it should be taken at a gap of 6 hours, for example at 8 am, 2 pm and 8 pm.

Q. Is Ursodeoxycholic Acid safe?

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is usually considered to be a safe and effective medicine. However, this medicine may have some common side effects, such as diarrhea. If diarrhea occurs, your doctor may reduce the dose and if it persists, your treatment may be discontinued. Additionally, using this medicine as a long-term therapy may also affect your liver enzyme levels. To keep a check on this, your doctor will keep monitoring your liver enzyme levels regularly. Despite these minor side effects, this medicine is supposed to be a good alternative to surgery in some patients with gallstones.

Q. How does Ursodeoxycholic Acid help the liver?

Ursodeoxycholic Acid acts on the liver and gets concentrated in the bile secreted from the liver. This, as a result, suppresses the synthesis and secretion of cholesterol by the liver, thereby decreasing the cholesterol levels in bile. This medicine also acts by stopping the intestines from absorbing the bile salts and cholesterol. So, the reduced cholesterol saturation in the bile from the liver leads to the gradual dissolving of cholesterol from gallstones, leading to a decrease in size and their eventual dissolution. It also reduces elevated liver enzyme levels by increasing the bile flow through the liver, hence protecting the liver cells.

Q. Does Ursodeoxycholic Acid cause weight gain?

Yes, there is a chance of weight gain with Ursodeoxycholic Acid, but it is not common. The use of Ursodeoxycholic Acid can cause weight gain when prescribed in patients with liver disease associated with chronic stasis of bile in small bile ducts of the liver. In such condition, bile cannot flow from the liver to the small intestine. Again, the chance of weight gain varies from person to person depending upon the disease, so consult your doctor if you experience weight gain.

Q. What should I avoid while taking Ursodeoxycholic Acid?

While taking Ursodeoxycholic Acid, avoid taking an antacid preparation without consulting your doctor, as they decrease the effectiveness of Ursodeoxycholic Acid. You should also avoid medicines like cholestyramine or colestipol as they affect the effectiveness of Ursodeoxycholic Acid. So, ask your doctor about the time gap that should be maintained between Ursodeoxycholic Acid and these medicines. Also, avoid taking oral contraceptives, estrogenic hormones and blood cholesterol-lowering agents such as clofibrate as they may increase the chances of developing gallstones and act opposite to the Ursodeoxycholic Acid.