Known and unknown hymecromone. A review

Abstract

Hymecromone (4-MU) is a recognized agent currently used in clinical practice. Since 1960, hymecromone has been used in many countries as a choleretic and cholespasmolytic, a drug approved for use in humans with biliary tract disorders. The review presents both traditional European and Russian studies of the selective antispasmodic and choleretic properties of hymecromone, due to which hymecromone is the drug of choice for the treatment of biliary tract diseases, as well as new fundamental and clinical studies of numerous pleiotropic effects of 4-MU associated with inhibition of hyaluronic acid and many other properties of this exciting molecule. These include antibacterial, antiviral, and nonspecific anti-inflammatory effects. Positive results have been demonstrated in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism disorders, autoimmune diseases, as well as liver, heart, and kidney diseases. Numerous in vitro and in vivo studies have been presented in pancreatic, prostate, skin, esophagus, breast, liver, ovary, bone cancers, metastatic lesions, leukemia, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Hymecromone is indicated not only as a choleretic and cholespasmolytic but also as a choleseptic in cholangitis and chronic cholecystitis, including opisthorchiasis, which does not disagree with its label. Odecromone® (hymecromone, tablets 200 mg) is available on the Russian market; it replaced the originator drug and is its fully equivalent generic.

Keywords

• hymecromone
• choleretic
• cholespasmolytic
• biliary tract dysfunction
• gallstone disease
• postcholecystectomy syndrome
• hyaluronic acid