URSODEOXYCHOLIC ACID IN THE TREATMENT OF CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE

Recent data have suggested that ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is useful in the treatment of a variety of cholestatic and chronic liver disease s. Symptomatic and biochemical improvement have been observed in disea ses such as primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis, and cystic fibrosis, but data on histological improvement and surviva l are limited. The purpose of this article is to review the proposed m echanisms of action of UDCA and to critically evaluate the existing li terature reporting a beneficial therapeutic effect of UDCA in the trea tment of chronic liver disease.