Deoxycholic acid (conjugate base deoxycholate), also known as cholanoic acid, Kybella, Celluform Plus and 3α, 12α-dihydroxy-5β-cholan-24-oic acid, is a secondary bile acid produced from cholic acid by bacterial action in the colon. Deoxycholic acid is soluble in alcohol and acetic acid. When pure, it comes in a white to off-white crystalline powder form. It is usually conjugated with glycine or taurine and acts as a detergent in the emulsification of fats for intestinal absorption. In April 2015, deoxycholic acid was approved by the FDA for the treatment submental fat to improve aesthetic appearance and reduce facial fullness or convexity. It is marketed under the brand name Kybella by Kythera Biopharma and is the first pharmacological agent available for submental fat reduction, allowing for a safer and less invasive alternative than surgical procedures. When injected into submental fat, it stimulates a targeted breakdown of adipose cells by disrupting the cell membrane and causing adipocytolysis, resulting in an inflammatory reaction and clearing of the adipose tissue remnants by macrophages. However, deoxycholic acid has not been tested for safe use on other areas of the body. Except for its main use, deoxycholic acid has been used in a study to assess a pH-Responsive Mechanism of a Deoxycholic Acid and Folate Co-Modified Chitosan Micelle under Cancerous Environment. It has also been used in a study to investigate dose-dependent anti-inflammatory effect of ursodeoxycholic acid in experimental colitis.
