Ursodiol Capsule: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Ursodiol Capsule, containing ursodeoxycholic acid, is a prescription bile acid medicine used to dissolve or prevent cholesterol gallstones and to treat certain chronic liver conditions. It comes as a capsule or tablet. It works by changing the chemical makeup of bile so cholesterol dissolves more easily, and it is taken by mouth exactly as directed by a doctor.

What is Ursodiol Capsule

Ursodiol is a prescription bile acid medicine used to dissolve or prevent cholesterol gallstones and to treat certain chronic liver conditions. It comes as a capsule or tablet that contains ursodeoxycholic acid.

Ursodiol Capsule uses

• Dissolving small, non-calcified cholesterol gallstones in people who cannot have or prefer not to have surgery
• Preventing new gallstones from forming in people with obesity who are losing weight quickly
• Treating primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), a liver disease where bile ducts are damaged
• Sometimes used for bile reflux gastritis, cystic fibrosis-associated liver disease, or liver problems during pregnancy, as decided by a specialist

Benefits of Ursodiol Capsule

• Breaks down small cholesterol gallstones without surgery
• Helps stop new gallstones from forming during rapid weight loss
• Reduces liver damage and improves bile flow in chronic liver disease
• May gradually dissolve cholesterol-based gallstones
• Helps reduce the risk of gallstone formation during rapid weight loss
• Provides a noninvasive treatment option for selected patients

How Ursodiol Capsule works

Ursodiol changes the chemical makeup of bile so that cholesterol can dissolve more easily, which helps break down existing gallstones and stops new ones from forming. It also lowers the amount of cholesterol the liver makes. In primary biliary cholangitis, it replaces a harmful type of bile acid that builds up and damages the liver.

Ursodiol Capsule dosage

Take this medicine by mouth with water, at the same time every day, exactly as your care team directs. It is best to take ursodiol with meals unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Keep taking it for the full length of treatment, even if you start to feel better, because stopping too soon may keep the gallstones from fully dissolving.

Take antacids at a different time of day than ursodiol — one hour before or two hours after. If you are told to split tablets, do not chew the pieces; swallow them with water, and store the half-tablets separately from whole tablets because of their bitter taste. Talk with your care team about use in children, since special care may be needed.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember; if it is almost time for your next dose, just take that one dose — do not double up.

Available forms and strengths

• Capsule
• Tablet

Side effects of Ursodiol Capsule

Common

• Upset stomach, stomach cramps, or abdominal pain
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Dizziness or headache
• Back or joint pain
• Hair loss
• Cold, flu-like, or sore throat symptoms
• Itching or rash

Serious

• Signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as breathing problems or wheezing, racing heart, fever, swollen lymph nodes, swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, or throat, trouble swallowing, hives, or skin rash
• Bladder pain, cloudy or bloody urine, painful or frequent urination
• Fast heartbeat, severe nausea, vomiting, or ongoing stomach pain
• Black, tarry stools, unusual bleeding or bruising
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, or clay-colored stools
• Signs of intestinal blockage, such as severe stomach pain, bloating, or inability to pass stool or gas

Warnings and precautions

• Do not take ursodiol if you have a complete blockage of the bile duct, certain gallbladder or bile duct conditions, or pancreatitis caused by gallstones; your doctor may recommend gallbladder removal surgery instead.
• People with a history of bowel problems, such as Crohn's disease, or who have had intestinal surgery, have a higher risk of developing a blockage from hardened material in the intestine while taking ursodiol.
• Antacids containing aluminum and cholesterol-lowering medicines like cholestyramine or colestipol can block your body from absorbing ursodiol; take them at least 1 to 2 hours apart from ursodiol.
• Estrogen-containing medicines, birth control pills, and some cholesterol-lowering drugs may work against ursodiol's gallstone-dissolving effect.
• It is not known for certain how ursodiol affects pregnancy, and it is not recommended for use during pregnancy unless your doctor decides it's necessary.
• It isn't known for sure if ursodiol passes into breast milk, so caution is advised while breastfeeding, and you should discuss this with your doctor.
• No routine renal dosage adjustment is established. Patients with significant kidney impairment require individualized clinical assessment.
• Your doctor will check your liver function with blood tests before and during treatment, since some people may have trouble processing certain bile acid byproducts that could affect the liver.
• It isn't known whether drinking alcohol affects ursodiol, but you should tell your care team if you drink alcohol.
• Ursodiol is not generally associated with significant sedation. Avoid driving if dizziness or other impairing symptoms occur.

Storage

• Store at room temperature between 15 and 30 degrees C (59 and 86 degrees F)
• Keep out of the reach of children and pets
• Get rid of any unused medication after the expiration date
• Take medications to a medication take-back program when possible
• If a take-back program is not available, check the label to see if it can go in the trash or be flushed; if trash disposal is safe, mix the medicine with something like cat litter or coffee grounds, seal it in a bag, and throw it away

When to see a doctor

• Get medical help right away if you have signs of a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, a racing heart, fever, or hives.
• Tell your care team right away if you have ongoing or worsening nausea, vomiting, or stomach pain.
• Contact a poison control center or go to an emergency room right away if you think you've taken too much of this medicine.
• Call your doctor if you notice yellowing of the eyes or skin, dark urine, or pale/clay-colored stools, which can be signs of a liver problem.
• Contact your doctor if you develop signs of a possible intestinal blockage, such as severe or continuing stomach pain.

Alternatives

• Ursodiol
• Urso 250
• Chenodiol
• Laparoscopic