Latest development in the synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA): a critical review

• Fabio Tonin and
• Isabel W. C. E. Arends

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2018, 14, 470–483, doi:10.3762/bjoc.14.33

• times and lower costs for the chemical and enzymatic reactions involved. Keywords: bile acids; biotransformation; hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases; production process; UDCA; Introduction Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), is applied in the pharmaceutical industry (Figure 1) [1]. As reported in several papers

• . Ideally, there is the possibility of using other types of less volatile compounds but no reports thereof have been found. 12α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 12α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (12α-HSDH) are particularly interesting for the selective oxidation of the 12-hydroxy group of CA (Figure 4). These

• presented in the next paragraphs. 7α-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenases (7α-HSDH) These enzymes are able to oxidise specifically the α-hydroxy group at C7 together with the concomitant reduction of NAD+ or NADP+ (Figure 5). All of them are part of the group of the short chain dehydrogenases/reductases (SDR