Cholic acid

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Cholic acid
IUPAC name	(R)-4-((3R,5S,7R,8R,9S,10S,12S,13R,14S,17R)- 3,7,12-trihydroxy-10,13-dimethylhexadecahydro-1H- cyclopenta[a]phenanthren-17-yl)pentanoic acid
Other names	3α,7α,12α-trihydroxy-5β-cholanic acid
Identifiers
CAS number	[81-25-4]
SMILES	C[C@@]34[C@] (CC[C@@H]4[C@@H] (CCC(O)=O)C) ([H])[C@]2([H]) [C@H](O)C[C@]1 ([H])C[C@H](O) CC[C@@](C)1[C@] ([H])2C[C@@H]3O
Properties
Molecular formula	C24H40O5
Molar mass	408.57 g/mol
Melting point	200-201 °C
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa) Infobox disclaimer and references

Cholic acid is a bile acid, a white crystalline substance insoluble in water (soluble in alcohol and acetic acid), with a melting point of 200-201 °C. Salts of cholic acid are called cholates. Cholic acid, along with chenodeoxycholic acid, is one of two major bile acids produced by the liver where it is synthesized from cholesterol. Of the two major bile acids, cholate derivatives represent approximately eighty percent of all bile acids. These derivatives are made from cholyl-CoA which forms a conjugate with either glycine, or taurine, yielding glycocholic and taurocholic acid respectively.

Cholic acid and chenodeoxycholic acid are the most important human bile acids. Some other mammals synthesize predominantly deoxycholic acid.

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