Deoxycholic acid

Overview
Deoxycholic acid, also known as deoxycholate, cholanoic acid, and 3α,12α-dihydroxy-5β-cholanate, is a bile acid. Deoxycholic acid is one of the secondary bile acids, which are metabolic byproducts of intestinal bacteria. The two primary bile acids secreted by the liver are cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid. Bacteria metabolize chenodeoxycholic acid into the secondary bile acid lithocholic acid, and they metabolize cholic acid into deoxycholic acid. There are additional secondary bile acids, such as ursodeoxycholic acid. Deoxycholic acid is soluble in alcohol and acetic acid. When pure, it comes in a white to off-white crystalline powder form.

Applications
In the human body deoxycholic acid is used in the emulsification of fats for the absorption in the intestine. Outside the body it is used in experimental basis of cholagogues and is also use to prevent and dissolve gallstones.

Sodium deoxycholate, the sodium salt of deoxycholic acid, is frequently used in mesotherapy injections, mixed with phosphatidylcholine.

In research deoxycholic acid is used as a mild detergent for the isolation of membrane associated proteins.

Deoxycholates and bile acid derivatives in general are actively being studied as structures for incorporation in nanotechnology. They also have found application in microlithography as photoresist components.

The critical micelle concentration for deoxycholic acid is approximately 0.2%.

Sodium deoxycholate, the sodium salt of deoxychlic acid, is often used as a biological detergent to lyse cells and solubilise cellular and membrane components.