Name: Manufacturer Supplier Best Purity Bulk Price Lithocholic Acid CAS 434-13-9
Brand: Wuhan Fortuna Chemical Co., Ltd.

Specifications of Lithocholic Acid CAS 434-13-9

Items	Specification	Result
Assay	≥98%	99%
Appearance	White crystalline powder	Conforms
Loss on drying	1.0%	0.5%
Heavy metal	≤20ppm	10ppm
Residue on ignition	≤0.5%	0.2%

Parameters of Lithocholic Acid CAS 434-13-9

Product parameters
Cas number:	434-13-9
Appearance:	White crystalline powder
Purity:	98%min
Package details:	1kg/foil bag
Brand:	Fortunachem

Lithocholic Acid (LCA) is a secondary bile acid produced by bacterial metabolism of chenodeoxycholic acid in the intestine. Chemically, it is 3α-hydroxy-5β-cholan-24-oic acid (CAS: 434-13-9). Unlike primary bile acids, LCA is highly hydrophobic and known for its cytotoxicity at high concentrations, but it plays a critical role as a signaling molecule in research.

Here are its key selling points for scientific and industrial applications:

1. Potent FXR Antagonist & VDR Agonist (Unique Signaling Profile)

The Point: LCA is one of the most potent natural antagonists of the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) and a selective agonist of the Vitamin D Receptor (VDR).

Why it matters: This dual activity makes it an indispensable tool for studying bile acid homeostasis, liver toxicity (cholestasis), and the crosstalk between nuclear receptors. Researchers use it to specifically block FXR pathways or activate VDR pathways without affecting other receptors like TGR5 (at certain concentrations), offering high specificity for mechanistic studies.

2. Standard Model for Cholestasis and Liver Toxicity

The Point: It is the gold-standard chemical inducer for experimental cholestasis (bile flow obstruction) and liver injury models.

Why it matters: In drug discovery and toxicology, LCA is used to reliably replicate human liver disease conditions in cell lines (e.g., HepG2) and animal models. Its ability to downregulate the Bile Salt Export Pump (BSEP) makes it essential for screening new drugs for potential hepatotoxicity before clinical trials.

3. Cancer Research Tool (Pro-tumorigenic Studies)

The Point: LCA is widely recognized as a tumor promoter, particularly in colorectal and liver cancer models.

Why it matters: It is a critical reagent for studying the link between chronic inflammation, bile acid metabolism, and carcinogenesis. Scientists use it to induce DNA damage, oxidative stress, and pro-survival signaling pathways (like EGFR and MAPK) to test anti-cancer therapies or understand tumor microenvironment dynamics.

4. Versatile Scaffold for Chemical Derivatization

The Point: The steroid backbone with specific hydroxyl and carboxyl groups allows for easy chemical modification.

Why it matters: LCA is frequently sold as a starting material for synthesizing:

Deuterated standards (LCA-d4/d5): For precise quantification in LC-MS/MS metabolomics.

Bioconjugates: Such as Biotin-LCA or fluorescently labeled LCA, used for pull-down assays to identify bile acid-binding proteins or for live-cell imaging of bile acid transport.

Analogs: To develop safer, non-toxic therapeutic agonists/antagonists.

5. Microbiome and Metabolism Research

The Point: As a major product of gut microbiota, it is a key marker in microbiome studies.

Why it matters: With the booming interest in the gut-liver axis, pure LCA is essential for correlating specific bacterial strains with host metabolic health, aging, and immune regulation. It helps researchers decipher how gut bacteria influence host physiology through bile acid signaling.

Summary of Selling Points for Buyers:

Feature Benefit to Researcher

Specific Receptor Modulation Unlocks unique FXR/VDR pathways for targeted drug discovery.

Reliable Toxicity Model Provides a consistent, reproducible standard for liver safety testing.

Cancer Induction Capability Essential for studying inflammation-driven carcinogenesis.

Derivatization Ready Ideal scaffold for creating probes, standards, and drug analogs.

High Purity Availability Critical for sensitive metabolomics and avoiding confounding biological effects.

In short, Lithocholic Acid is sold not just as a chemical, but as a critical biological probe for understanding liver disease, cancer mechanisms, nuclear receptor signaling, and gut microbiome interactions. Its unique toxicity and signaling profile make it irreplaceable in specific areas of biomedical research.