Tauroursodeoxycholic Acid Unit Converter

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a naturally occurring bile acid formed when ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is conjugated with the amino acid taurine. It is one of the hydrophilic (water-soluble) bile acids and is present in human bile in small amounts.

A serum bile acid profile measures the concentration of individual bile acid species, including TUDCA, circulating in the blood. Elevated levels of conjugated bile acids like TUDCA can indicate impaired bile flow or liver dysfunction.

TUDCA also has a long history of therapeutic use. It has been employed in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries and is approved for treating cholestatic liver diseases.

TUDCA is produced through a multi-step process: the liver synthesizes chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) from cholesterol and secretes it into the intestine, where gut bacteria convert it into ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). UDCA is then reabsorbed and returned to the liver through enterohepatic circulation, where it is conjugated with taurine to form TUDCA.