Ursodeoxycholic acid
Ursodeoxycholic acid, also called ursodiol, is a bile acid used to treat primary biliary cholangitis and to dissolve cholesterol gallstones, sold here as 150mg and 300mg tablets under the names Urso, Ursodiol and Ursodeoxycholic Acid.
Ursodeoxycholic Acid
Ursodeoxycholic acid
300mg
Ursodeoxycholic acid 300mg tablets, a bile acid medicine that slows primary biliary cholangitis and helps dissolve cholesterol gallstones, sold here in packs for long-term daily use.
A bile acid the liver already makes
Ursodeoxycholic acid is one of the bile acids your liver produces to help digest fat. It occurs naturally in human bile in small amounts, and the medicine is the same substance made in a factory. Ursodiol is its shorter name and UDCA its abbreviation, so packs carry any of the three. Bile leaves the liver through narrow tubes called bile ducts; when those ducts are inflamed, bile backs up inside the liver and damages it. Ursodeoxycholic acid shifts the balance of acids in bile towards the less irritating ones and helps bile flow more freely.
What it is used for
The main use is primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a long-term condition in which the immune system attacks the small bile ducts inside the liver. Taken daily, ursodeoxycholic acid slows the harm the condition does to those ducts.
It is also used to dissolve cholesterol gallstones, mostly for people who cannot have gallbladder surgery or would rather avoid it. It suits small stones that are not calcified, in a gallbladder that still fills and empties normally. Dissolving is slow work, and stones can return once the tablets stop.
Taking the tablets
The daily amount is worked out from body weight, so the total can be more than one 300mg tablet. It is divided into two or three doses, each taken with a meal and a glass of water. A missed dose is taken once you remember it, unless the next is close; never take two together.
Three listings, one medicine
Urso is the brand name, and Ursodiol and Ursodeoxycholic Acid are labelled with the ingredient's two names. Urso and Ursodiol come as 150mg and 300mg tablets, so both sizes are on hand to make up an exact daily total; Ursodeoxycholic Acid comes as 300mg tablets. All three sit under Digestive Health.
Side effects and interactions
Soft stools or diarrhoea are the most frequent complaint and often settle with time. Nausea, indigestion and stomach discomfort turn up too. Yellowing of the skin or eyes, or new pain in the upper right side of the tummy, needs urgent attention: a stone can slip into a bile duct even while you are on treatment.
A few medicines get in the way. Antacids that contain aluminium cut how much ursodeoxycholic acid the body absorbs, so a couple of hours between the two keeps that from happening. Cholestyramine, colestipol and colesevelam, all used to lower cholesterol, bind it in the gut, and taking the doses several hours apart avoids that. Oestrogens push cholesterol back into bile and work against gallstone dissolution, and ciclosporin levels can rise when it is taken alongside.
Sources
- Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Symptoms & Causes - American Liver Foundation — liverfoundation.org
- Primary biliary cholangitis - NHS — NHS
Where can I order Ursodeoxycholic acid for delivery in Hong Kong?
Ursodeoxycholic acid can be ordered online from PockDose for delivery to Hong Kong. The page lists 150mg and 300mg tablets of generic Urso and Ursodiol tablets, and 300mg Ursodeoxycholic Acid tablets. Payment is by Visa, Mastercard or American Express on a secure, encrypted payment page, or by Bitcoin or Ethereum.
How are Ursodeoxycholic acid prices shown?
Each of the three ursodeoxycholic acid products has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Ursodeoxycholic acid?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order ursodeoxycholic acid. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What brand names does ursodeoxycholic acid have?
Actigall and Urso are brand names of ursodeoxycholic acid, which is also sold as Udiliv and Ursofalk. Here, ursodeoxycholic acid can be bought online as generic Urso, ursodiol tablets and ursodeoxycholic acid tablets. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is ursodiol the same as ursodeoxycholic acid?
Yes. Ursodiol is simply the shorter name for ursodeoxycholic acid, which is also abbreviated UDCA, and Urso is a brand of the same bile acid. All three listings here hold one and the same medicine.
What is the difference between the 150mg and 300mg tablets?
Only the amount of ursodeoxycholic acid in each tablet. The daily total depends on your body weight and is split into separate doses, so a mix of the two strengths is often the easiest way to reach an exact amount. Urso and Ursodiol come in both strengths, and the Ursodeoxycholic Acid listing in 300mg.
How should I take ursodeoxycholic acid?
With food, in two or three doses across the day. The total for the day comes from your body weight rather than being a set one-tablet dose, so it is often more than a single 300mg tablet. A glass of water is enough to swallow them.
How long does ursodeoxycholic acid take to dissolve gallstones?
Months rather than days. Small cholesterol stones that are not calcified are the ones that respond, and scans may show little change for a long while before the stone shrinks. Stones can return after the tablets are stopped, which is why surgery is often preferred when it is an option.
What interacts with ursodeoxycholic acid?
Aluminium-containing antacids reduce how much of it the body takes in, so leave a gap of a couple of hours. Cholestyramine, colestipol and colesevelam bind it in the gut and work best taken several hours apart. Oestrogens encourage cholesterol in bile and work against stone dissolution.
Does ursodeoxycholic acid cause diarrhoea?
Loose stools are the most common side effect and are usually mild; many people notice softer stools in the first weeks before things settle. Nausea, indigestion and stomach discomfort are also reported. When stools stay watery, a lower daily amount is sometimes used.
How long do you take ursodeoxycholic acid for PBC?
Usually long term. The tablets ease the strain on the bile ducts rather than curing the condition, so the benefit lasts while they are taken. Liver blood tests are used to see how well it is working.
Can I drink alcohol with ursodeoxycholic acid?
Alcohol does not interfere with ursodeoxycholic acid itself, so an occasional drink is unlikely to matter. Heavy drinking is a different story: it puts extra strain on a liver that is already coping with gallstones or PBC.