Ursodeoxycholic Acid
Brand: Urso / Ursocol / Udiliv / Urshol / Urshocal
Gastrointestinal
Bile acid / Hepatoprotective agent
Pharmacokinetics
| Half-life | 4 hours |
| Tmax | 1.5 h |
| Clearance Route | hepatic |
| Active Metabolites | yes |
| Notes | Absorbed orally, conjugated in liver, enters enterohepatic circulation; effect depends more on bile acid pool enrichment than simple plasma half-life. |
⚠️ Safety & Warnings
Severity: Moderate
Adverse Effects:
Diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, nausea, pruritus (occasionally), rare worsening of liver tests
Contraindications:
Complete biliary obstruction, non-functioning gallbladder, calcified cholesterol stones
Precautions:
Monitor liver function periodically; not useful for all gallstones; response depends on stone type and gallbladder function