Cholic acid pharm



Cholic acid pharm


Cholic acid, along with chenodeoxycholic acid, is one of two major bile acids produced by the liver where it is synthesized from cholesterol.Cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid are the most important human bile acids. Some other mammals synthesize predominantly deoxycholic acid.
Cholic acid downregulates cholesterol-7-α-hydroxylase (rate-limiting step in bile acid synthesis), and cholesterol does the opposite. This is why chenodeoxycholic acid, and not cholic acid, can be used to treat gallstones (because decreasing bile acid synthesis would supersaturate the stones even more).Cholic acid is a white crystalline substance insoluble in water (soluble in alcohol and acetic acid), with a melting point of 200-201 °C. Read more:Sodium cholate