Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Information about Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Ursodeoxycholic Acid Uses

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is used in the treatment of primary biliary cirrhosis and gallbladder stones.

How Ursodeoxycholic Acid works

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is a hepatoprotective medication. It works by reducing the amount of cholesterol in the blood and helps dissolve gallbladder stones that are composed mainly of cholesterol. It also improves liver enzymes, protects liver cells from injury caused due to toxic bile acids, and improves liver function.

Common side effects of Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Abdominal pain, Diarrhea, Hair loss, Itching, Nausea, Rash, Headache, Back pain, Abdominal discomfort, Allergy, Chest pain, Fatigue, Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Vomiting, Joint pain, Joint inflammation, Muscle pain, Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), Bronchitis (inflammation of the airways), Cough, Sinus inflammation, Upper respiratory tract infection, Urinary tract infection
CONTENT DETAILS
Written By
Dr. Betina Chandolia
MDS, BDS
Reviewed By
Dr. Ashish Ranjan
MD (Pharmacology), MBBS
Last updated
26 Aug 2021 | 08:19 PM (UTC)

We provide you with authentic, trustworthy and revelant information

Want to know more

Available Medicine for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

UdilivAbbott L
₹72 to ₹6317 variant(s)
UrsocolSun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd
₹153 to ₹5957 variant(s)
ActibileZydus Cadila
₹116 to ₹4215 variant(s)
UrsofordLeeford Healthcare Ltd
₹145 to ₹4503 variant(s)
GolbiIntas Pharmaceuticals Ltd
₹159 to ₹6506 variant(s)
UlysesLupin Ltd
₹117 to ₹6274 variant(s)
UrsomaxZuventus Healthcare Ltd
₹149 to ₹4003 variant(s)
UrsetorTorrent Pharmaceuticals Ltd
₹156 to ₹3963 variant(s)
UrsokemAlkem Laboratories Ltd
₹106 to ₹3064 variant(s)
SorbidiolFranco-Indian Pharmaceuticals Pvt Ltd
₹151 to ₹2652 variant(s)

Expert advice for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid should be taken after a meal with a glass of milk or water.
  • Eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and avoid alcohol intake.
  • Diarrhea may occur as a side effect. Drink plenty of fluids and inform your doctor if diarrhea persists or if you find blood in your stools.
  • Your doctor may monitor your liver function and bilirubin levels every month for the next 3 months after the start of therapy, and every 6 months thereafter.
  • Do not stop taking the medication without talking to your doctor.

Frequently asked questions for Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Ursodeoxycholic Acid

Q. When should I take Ursodeoxycholic Acid?

The suitable timing of taking this medicine might differ depending upon your condition. Your doctor might instruct you to take 2 to 3 doses per day and suggest to take the last dose at bedtime. Ursodeoxycholic Acid should be taken with water milk and can be taken with food or after food. When prescribed for dissolving gallstones, it is usually suggested to be taken once daily at night. Ideally, it should be taken at a gap of 6 hours, for example at 8 am, 2 pm and 8 pm.

Q. Is Ursodeoxycholic Acid safe?

Ursodeoxycholic Acid is usually considered to be a safe and effective medicine. However, this medicine may have some common side effects, such as diarrhea. If diarrhea occurs, your doctor may reduce the dose and if it persists, your treatment may be discontinued. Additionally, using this medicine as a long-term therapy may also affect your liver enzyme levels. To keep a check on this, your doctor will keep monitoring your liver enzyme levels regularly. Despite these minor side effects, this medicine is supposed to be a good alternative to surgery in some patients with gallstones.

Q. How does Ursodeoxycholic Acid help the liver?

Ursodeoxycholic Acid acts on the liver and gets concentrated in the bile secreted from the liver. This, as a result, suppresses the synthesis and secretion of cholesterol by the liver, thereby decreasing the cholesterol levels in bile. This medicine also acts by stopping the intestines from absorbing the bile salts and cholesterol. So, the reduced cholesterol saturation in the bile from the liver leads to the gradual dissolving of cholesterol from gallstones, leading to a decrease in size and their eventual dissolution. It also reduces elevated liver enzyme levels by increasing the bile flow through the liver, hence protecting the liver cells.

Q. Does Ursodeoxycholic Acid cause weight gain?

Yes, there is a chance of weight gain with Ursodeoxycholic Acid, but it is not common. The use of Ursodeoxycholic Acid can cause weight gain when prescribed in patients with liver disease associated with chronic stasis of bile in small bile ducts of the liver. In such condition, bile cannot flow from the liver to the small intestine. Again, the chance of weight gain varies from person to person depending upon the disease, so consult your doctor if you experience weight gain.

Q. What should I avoid while taking Ursodeoxycholic Acid?

While taking Ursodeoxycholic Acid, avoid taking an antacid preparation without consulting your doctor, as they decrease the effectiveness of Ursodeoxycholic Acid. You should also avoid medicines like cholestyramine or colestipol as they affect the effectiveness of Ursodeoxycholic Acid. So, ask your doctor about the time gap that should be maintained between Ursodeoxycholic Acid and these medicines. Also, avoid taking oral contraceptives, estrogenic hormones and blood cholesterol-lowering agents such as clofibrate as they may increase the chances of developing gallstones and act opposite to the Ursodeoxycholic Acid.

INDIA’S LARGEST HEALTHCARE PLATFORM

260m+
Visitors
31m+
Orders Delivered
1800+
Cities
Get the link to download App

Connect

  • Social Links
  • Want daily dose of health?
Download App
Reliable

All products displayed on Tata 1mg are procured from verified and licensed pharmacies. All labs listed on the platform are accredited

Secure

Tata 1mg uses Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) 128-bit encryption and is Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliant

Affordable

Find affordable medicine substitutes, save up to 50% on health products, up to 80% off on lab tests and free doctor consultations.

LegitScript approved
India's only LegitScript and ISO/ IEC 27001:2022 certified online healthcare platform

Know more about Tata 1mgdownArrow

Access medical and health information

Tata 1mg provides you with medical information which is curated, written and verified by experts, accurate and trustworthy. Our experts create high-quality content about medicines, diseases, lab investigations, Over-The-Counter (OTC) health products, Ayurvedic herbs/ingredients, and alternative remedies.

Order medicines online

Get free medicine home delivery in over 1800 cities across India. You can also order Ayurvedic, Homeopathic and other Over-The-Counter (OTC) health products. Your safety is our top priority. All products displayed on Tata 1mg are procured from verified and licensed pharmacies.

Book lab tests

Book any lab tests and preventive health packages from certified labs and get tested from the comfort of your home. Enjoy free home sample collection, view reports online and consult a doctor online for free.

Consult a doctor online

Got a health query? Consult doctors online from the comfort of your home for free. Chat privately with our registered medical specialists to connect directly with verified doctors. Your privacy is guaranteed.

© 2024 Tata 1mg. All rights reserved. All medicines are dispensed in compliance with the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945. We do not process requests for Schedule X and habit forming drugs.