Chenodeoxycholate (3 alpha, 7 alpha-dihydroxy-5 beta-
cholanic acid) is a primary
bile acid directly synthesized from
cholesterol. It is an amphipathic molecule, possessing both a hydrophobic side and a polar hydrophilic side, giving it the ability to solubilize
lipids in a water environment.
Bile acids are necessary for the absorption of
fats and fat soluble
vitamins.
Chenodeoxycholate inhibits the rate-limiting step of
cholesterol synthesis, the formation of hydroxymethyl-
glutaryl-coenzyme A. It was first reported to be useful in the dissolution of
cholesterol gallstones in 1972. Today,
chenodeoxycholate has other medicinal uses and is used for the management of
cerebrotendinous xanthomatosis, hypertriglyceremia, congenital
liver diseases,
rheumatoid arthritis, and
constipation. This article details some finer points of
chenodeoxycholate biochemistry and physiology and discusses in some detail the current and past clinical uses of
chenodeoxycholate. This is not an exhaustive discussion on
gallstone dissolution
therapies, but an overview of some of the lesser-known uses for this
drug.