Hepatoprotective mechanism of tauroursodeoxycholic acid and its therapeutic potential in liver diseases
- 1The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Medical University
- 2Graduate School of Xi’an Medical University
Abstract
Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a natural hydrophilic secondary bile acid that acts as an effective chemical chaperone and exerts dramatically hepatoprotective effects. It alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), regulates the unfolded protein response (UPR), suppresses inflammatory responses, reduces oxidative stress, and inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis. In addition, TUDCA maintains bile acid metabolism homeostasis and modulates the gut–liver axis, showing significant therapeutic potential in multiple liver disorders, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cholestatic liver injury, liver fibrosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Despite promising preclinical evidence, the specific crosstalk between TUDCA and the gut microbiota remains largely unclear, and high-quality clinical evidence supporting its translation into clinical practice is still limited. This narrative review summarises the molecular targets and signaling pathways of TUDCA, discusses current research gaps, and provides a theoretical foundation for its rational clinical application and future mechanistic studies.
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BibTeX
@article{chao2026hepatoprotective,
title = {{Hepatoprotective mechanism of tauroursodeoxycholic acid and its therapeutic potential in liver diseases}},
author = {Ruting Chao and Yanan Zhang and Yuanzhu Hao and Huihui Zhang and Mingxin Zhang and Chao Sun},
journal = {Frontiers in Pharmacology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3389/fphar.2026.1949645},
url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1949645/full},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Hepatoprotective mechanism of tauroursodeoxycholic acid and its therapeutic potential in liver diseases
AU - Ruting Chao
AU - Yanan Zhang
AU - Yuanzhu Hao
AU - Huihui Zhang
AU - Mingxin Zhang
AU - Chao Sun
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/29
JO - Frontiers in Pharmacology
DO - 10.3389/fphar.2026.1949645
UR - https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphar.2026.1949645/full
AB - Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a natural hydrophilic secondary bile acid that acts as an effective chemical chaperone and exerts dramatically hepatoprotective effects. It alleviates endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), regulates the unfolded protein response (UPR), suppresses inflammatory responses, reduces oxidative stress, and inhibits hepatocyte apoptosis. In addition, TUDCA maintains bile acid metabolism homeostasis and modulates the gut–liver axis, showing significant therapeutic potential in multiple liver disorders, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), cholestatic liver injury, liver fibrosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatic ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI). Despite promising preclinical evidence, the specific crosstalk between TUDCA and the gut microbiota remains largely unclear, and high-quality clinical evidence supporting its translation into clinical practice is still limited. This narrative review summarises the molecular targets and signaling pathways of TUDCA, discusses current research gaps, and provides a theoretical foundation for its rational clinical application and future mechanistic studies.
SN - 1663-9812
ER -