| abstract |
One aspect of this invention is directed to a pharmacologically acceptable composition including a sulfate of 3 alpha, 7 beta-dihydroxy-5 beta-cholan-24-oic acid (Ursodeoxycholic acid or 'UDCA') and a pharmacologically acceptable carrier. In a preferred composition, the sulfate is UDCA-3-sulfate, UDCA-7-sulfate, UDCA-3,7-disulfate, glyco-UDCA-3-sulfate, glyco-UDCA-7-sulfate, glyco-UDCA-3,7-disulfate, tauro-UDCA-3-sulfate, tauro-UDCA-7-sulfate, tauro-UDCA-3,7-disulfate or a combination thereof. Another aspect of the invention concerns a method of delivering UDCA to a mammal to inhibit or treat a disorder, which includes administering a sulfate of UDCA to the mammal in an amount sufficient to inhibit or treat the disorder. For example, a UDCA sulfate may be used to advantage in inhibiting or treating an inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, such as colon cancer, rectum cancer, a neoplasm of the colon, a neoplasm of the rectum, carcinogenesis of the colon, carcinogenesis of the rectum, ulcerative colitis, an adenomatous polyp, familial polyposis and the like. A sulfate of UDCA also may be administered to inhibit or treat an inflammatory disorder of the liver. A UDCA sulfate may be used to improve serum biochemistries of liver disease or liver function, to increase bile flow or to decrease biliary secretion of phospholipid or cholesterol. In yet a further aspect, the invention is directed to a method of maintaining an isolated organ by perfusing the organ with a sulfate of UDCA. |