Bile acids in treatment of ocular disease

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jeffrey Boatright, Emory University; John Nickerson, Emory University; Anisha G. Moring, Emory University; Machelle Pardue, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2009-08-27
• Publisher: Humana Press
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2009
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Final Published Version (URL): http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs12177-009-9030-x
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Ocular Biology, Diseases, and Informatics
• ISSN: 1936-8437
• Volume: 2
• Issue: 3
• Start Page: 149
• End Page: 159
• Keywords: Retinal degeneration; UDCA; Neuroprotection; Apoptosis; Tauroursodeoxycholic acid; Ursodeoxycholic acid; Bile acid; Traditional Chinese medicine; TUDCA
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Opthamology

Abstract

Bear bile has been included in Asian pharmacopeias for thousands of years in treatment of several diseases, ranging from sore throat to hemorrhoids. The hydrophilic bile acids tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) are the major bile acids of bear bile. Both of these are available as synthetic formulations and are approved by the health administrations of several countries for treatment of cirrhosis and gallstones. This review briefly covers the use of bear bile in Traditional Chinese Medicine, bile acid physiology, approved use of UDCA and TUDCA in Western medicine, and recent research exploring their neuroprotective properties, including in models of ocular disease.