Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System
Exogenous chenodeoxycholic acid is used as replacement therapy to restore the feedback inhibition lost due to the deficiency/absence of endogenous chenodeoxycholic acid. In CTX, deficiency of chenodeoxycholic acid causes a lack of feedback of cholesterol 7 alpha hydroxylase (CYP7A1) and HMG CoA reductase, causing increased production of atypical bile acids, bile alcohols and cholestanol that lead to the pathological consequences of the condition.