Cholic acid is a primary bile acid.1 It is formed from cholesterol via a multistep process catalyzed by the cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms CYP7A1, CYP8B1, and CYP27A1. Cholic acid is conjugated to glycine or taurine by bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase (BAAT) to produce glycocholic acid and taurocholic acid , respectively, in the liver, and is transformed into the secondary bile acid deoxycholic acid by intestinal microbiota.1,2,3 It induces C. difficile colony formation in an agar dilution assay when used at a concentration of 0.1% w/v.4 Dietary administration of cholic acid (0.4% w/w) increases serum cholesterol levels, biliary phospholipid secretion, and fecal DCA levels in rats.5
1.?arenac, T.M., and Mikov, M.Bile acid synthesis: From nature to the chemical modification and synthesis and their applications as drugs and nutrientsFront. Pharmacol.9939(2018) 2.Hunt, M.C., Siponen, M.I., and Alexson, S.E.H.The emerging role of acyl-CoA thioesterases and acyltransferases in regulating peroxisomal lipid metabolismBiochim. Biophys. Acta1822(9)1397-1410(2012) 3.Staley, C., Weingarden, A.R., Khoruts, A., et al.Interaction of gut microbiota with bile acid metabolism and its influence on disease statesAppl. Microbiol. Biotechnol.101(1)47-64(2017) 4.Sorg, J.A., and Sonenshein, A.L.Bile salts and glycine as cogerminants for Clostridium difficile sporesJ. Bacteriol.190(7)2505-2512(2008) 5.Uchida, K., Nomura, Y., and Takeuchi, N.Effects of cholic acid, chenodeoxycholic acid, and their related bile acids on cholesterol, phospholipid, and bile acid levels in serum, liver, bile, and feces of ratsJ. Biochem.87(1)187-194(1980)