Taurocholic acid, known also as cholaic acid, cholyltaurine, or acidum cholatauricum, is a deliquescent yellowish crystalline bile acid involved in the emulsification of fats. It occurs as a sodium salt in the bile of mammals. It is a conjugate of cholic acid with taurine. In medical use, it is administered as a cholagogue and choleretic.[1]
Hydrolysis of taurocholic acid yields taurine.
For commercial use, taurocholic acid is manufactured from cattle bile, a byproduct of the meat-processing industry.[2]
This acid is also one of the many molecules in the body that has cholesterol as its precursor.[citation needed]
Toxicity
The median lethal dose of taurocholic acid in newborn rats is 380 mg/kg.[citation needed]
See also
References
- ^ Anwer, M. Sawkat (2004). "Cellular regulation of hepatic bile acid transport in health and cholestasis". Hepatology. 39 (3): 581–590. doi:10.1002/hep.20090. PMID 14999673. S2CID 2601263.
- ^ Taurocholic acid, sodium salt Archived 2009-04-21 at the Wayback Machine at GlycoFineChem.com