BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Early reports suggest that the use of steroids after Kasai portoenterostomy may improve bile flow and outcome in infants with biliary atresia. METHODS Of 28 infants with biliary atresia, half received adjuvant high-dose steroids, and half received standard therapy. Infants in the steroid group (n = 14) received intravenous solumedrol (taper of 10, 8, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 mg/kg/d),...

Bear bile has been included in Asian pharmacopeias for thousands of years in treatment of several diseases, ranging from sore throat to hemorrhoids. The hydrophilic bile acids tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) are the major bile acids of bear bile. Both of these are available as synthetic formulations and are approved by the health administrations of several coun...

An unidentified gram-positive anaeroic organism capable of dehydrogenating the 7 beta-hydroxy group of ursodeoxycholic acid was recovered from human feces. By combined action of this organism with the ordinary 7 alpha-dehydrogenating bacteria, chenodeoxycholic acid and cholic acid alike were readily converted into their respective 7 beta-epimers and the reverse reactions were also carried out. ...

AIM To assess patients' understanding for the reasons for taking 5-aminosalicylic acid or ursodeoxycholic acid as chemoprophylaxis against colorectal carcinoma associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). METHODS A questionnaire-based study using a 5-point opinion scale was performed. One hundred and ninety-two patients with colitis only and 74 patients with primary sclerosing cholangiti...