For lab experiments, the injectable drug TUDCA is preferred because the dose can be easily controlled. For the the treatment of humans, the oral drug UDCA is preferred for convenience and safety. The following study shows that there is no practical difference in the biological effect between injected TUDCA and oral UDCA.

It is frustrating to repeatedly witness pity parties declaring that there is no treatment for HD. Creatine, fish oil, diet, exercise and UDCA all treat HD. All are available now. They are all exceedingly safe.

UDCA is at a pharmacy near you. It can be prescribed off label by your doctor.

-- Jerry

Posted to HDLighthouse: 27Aug02 HDL Update: TUDCA-UDCA Absorption

Avaiable Now A bile acid suscessfully treats HD mice with the human mutant HD gene. Ten capsules a day of a safe generic prescription drug will deliver the equlivalant dose to humans.

BACKGROUND:

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its taurine conjugate (TUDCA) exert a protective effect in cholestatic liver diseases. A greater hepatoprotective effect of TUDCA has been suggested. Absorption appears to be a limiting factor and up to now has not been studied in man.

METHODS:

We studied absorption and biliary bile acid secretion and composition after administration of UDCA and TUDCA in patients who had complete extrahepatic biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic carcinoma but had no intestinal or liver disease.

After 5 days of intact enterohepatic circulation eight patients with a percutaneous biliary-duodenal drainage received, during two study periods, 1000 mg (1916.9 micro mol; mean 29.6 micro mol kg-1) TUDCA and 750 mg (1910.4 micro mol; mean 29.5 micro mol kg-1) UDCA in random order. Each patient served as his own control.

RESULTS:

After UDCA and TUDCA administration the biliary UDCA content increased to 55.2% and 54.6% of total bile acids, respectively (not significant). Biliary secretion of cholic and chenodeoxycholic acids remained unchanged whereas that of lithocholic acid increased slightly.

A total of 64.6% of the orally administered TUDCA and 55.1% of the UDCA was absorbed (not significant). After TUDCA administration, biliary UDCA was preferentially (95.4%) taurine-conjugated whereas after UDCA administration biliary UDCA was mainly (79.8%) glycine-conjugated.

CONCLUSIONS:

After oral administration of TUDCA and UDCA, no significant differences in their absorption and in biliary bile acid secretion exist. Whether biliary enrichment with taurine conjugates of UDCA instead of glycine conjugates offers advantages in the treatment of cholestatic liver disease is unclear at present.

Source: Eur J Clin Invest 2002 Aug;32(8):575-80 Rudolph G, et al. University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

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