Though the Latin word Ursus bears (ha ha) little resemblance to the English word bear, we are nevertheless surrounded by this root. Ursodeoxycholic acid is found in high concentrations in bear bile, where perhaps it helps reduce gallstones. The purified version marketed as Ursodiol is a common medication for cholelithiasis, cholestasis, and primary biliary cirrhosis. While we commonly think of medicines coming from herbs, plants, or venoms of lizards, even our larger mammals have something to offer.
Image shown under Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike License, from Wikipedia.
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