Tauroursodeoxycholic acid

Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) is a taurine-conjugated ursodeoxycholic acid derivative with potent cytoprotective, anti-apoptotic, and endoplasmic reticulum stress-reducing properties, functioning to protect hepatocytes and other cells from bile acid toxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction. In salivary metabolomics, TUDCA levels reflect hepatic bile acid metabolism and cytoprotective signalling, which may be relevant to monitoring liver stress during prolonged endurance exercise. Its presence in saliva has been identified through untargeted metabolomics studies characterising the salivary metabolome.