[Physico-chemical properties of ursodeoxycholic acid and its usefulness in hepatopathies].

The authors of this article reviewed the physico-chemical properties of bile acids, with particular attention to ursodeoxycholic acid. Based on this information they explain the rational for treating some chronic liver diseases, like primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerosing cholangitis with bile acids. Finally they discussed the results of the different clinical trials of ursodeoxycholic acid in chronic liver diseases.