Canada Packers Inc.

Thomas F Massiah

Michael C Attwell

Roberto A Vergottini

Peter Ziegler

A process for preparing a high-melting form of CDCA having a melting point of at least about 160.degree. C. is disclosed which comprises the steps of:

Process for preparing high-melting chenodeoxycholic acid

A method of isolating chenodeoxycholic acid from hog bile is provided, which comprises the steps of treating the hog bile under saponifying conditions separating the bile acids from the water-soluble constituents of the saponified bile; esterifying the bile acids to obtain a mixture of bile acid esters; isolating from the mixture of bile acid esters the hyodeoxycholic acid ester as its adduct with a compound selected from the group consisting of benzene and toluene; treating the remaining bile acid esters under acetylating conditions; isolating the hyocholic acid ester triacetate; isolating the chenodeoxycholic acid ester diacetate; treating the chenodeoxycholic acid ester diacetate under saponifying conditions; isolating the chenodeoxycholic acid thus obtained; and, optionally purifying the chenodeoxycholic acid. The method described yields chenodeoxycholic acid of exceedingly high purity, which may be used in the treatment of gallstones by their dissolution in vivo.

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Agincourt, Canada

Thomas F Massiah