Structure and sources of obeticholic acid

Obeticholic acid sold under the trade nameOcaliva, is an important semi-synthetic bile acid analogue mainly used to treat primary cholangitis. Its chemical structure is 6α-ethylchenodeoxycholic acid, which makes it a potent agonist of the farnesoid X receptor (FXR). The natural bile acid chenodeoxycholic acid was identified as the most active physiological ligand of FXR in 1999, and obeticholic acid, as its derivative, shows stronger pharmacological effects.

FarnesX receptors play a key role in the liver and intestines and are involved in many physiological and pathological processes, including cholesterol metabolism, lipid metabolism, and glucose homeostasis. Therefore, FXR is considered a potential target for the treatment of various human diseases. Obeticholic acid was the first FXR agonist to be studied in humans, pioneering research in this field.

Chemically, the molecular formula of obeticholic acid isC26H44O4, and the molecular weight is 420.63 g/mol. It is in a white to off-white powder state and has special solubility characteristics: it is easily soluble in organic solvents such as methanol, methylene chloride and ethyl acetate, while its solubility in water is affected by pH value. Under low pH conditions, obeticholic acid is slightly soluble, but easily soluble under high pH conditions. This characteristic provides an important reference for the development of its pharmaceutical preparations.

Oral dosage forms of obeticholic acid include5 mg and 10 mg tablets, each tablet containing obeticholic acid as the active ingredient and other inactive ingredients. These tablets are designed to ensure efficient drug release and absorption to achieve its therapeutic effect. Due to the important role of FXR in bile acid metabolism, the use of obeticholic acid may not only improve biliary health, but may also bring additional metabolic benefits by regulating lipid and glucose metabolism.

Reference materials:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obeticholic_acid