Home / Products / Sodium Cholate
CAS 361-09-1 Primary Bile Salt (Sodium Salt) Primary Bile Salt (Sodium Salt)

Sodium Cholate

IUPAC: Sodium 3a,7a,12a-trihydroxy-5ß-cholan-24-oate View on PubChem
CAS NUMBER
361-09-1
MOL. FORMULA
C24H39NaO5
MOL. WEIGHT
430.55 g/mol
Get Commercial Quote Request Sample Request COA
Scientific Overview

Sodium cholate's improved water solubility relative to the free acid makes it the preferred form for laboratory buffer preparation, where it is used to solubilize membrane proteins into detergent micelles for downstream reconstitution into liposomes or nanodiscs, a technique widely applied in structural biology and drug-target characterization.

Sodium Cholate is the water-soluble sodium salt of cholic acid, widely used as a mild anionic detergent for membrane protein extraction and reconstitution, and as a bile-acid reference standard in pharmaceutical and diagnostic applications.

Full Technical Data
Chemical Name Sodium Cholate
CAS Number 361-09-1
IUPAC Name Sodium 3a,7a,12a-trihydroxy-5ß-cholan-24-oate
Molecular Formula C24H39NaO5
Molecular Weight 430.55 g/mol g/mol
Reaction Scheme
Cholic Acid
Sodium Hydroxide
NA
Sodium Cholate
NA
Commercial Applications

Membrane Protein Reconstitution

Used to solubilize membrane proteins into detergent micelles for downstream liposome/nanodisc reconstitution.

Cell Lysis & Protein Extraction

Mild ionic detergent used in cell lysis buffers for protein purification workflows.

Pharmaceutical Bile Salt Reference Standard

Used as an analytical reference standard for bile-salt-containing drug products and dissolution testing.

Lipid Nanoparticle Formulation Research

Used experimentally in formulation studies of lipid-based drug delivery systems.

Market Therapeutic Focus
PRIMARY BILE SALT (SODIUM SALT) PHARMACEUTICAL MANUFACTURING MEMBRANE PROTEIN RESEARCH ANALYTICAL REFERENCE STANDARDS BIOCHEMICAL REAGENTS CRO/CDMO
Scientific Literature

Cholate-Based Detergents for Membrane Protein Solubilization

Authors: Le Maire, M. et al.

Biochim. Biophys. Acta

DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4157(00)00016-2

Reconstitution of Membrane Proteins into Lipid Nanodiscs

Authors: Denisov, I.G.; Sligar, S.G.

Nat. Struct. Mol. Biol.

DOI: 10.1038/nsmb.3195

Bile Acids: Chemistry, Pathochemistry, Biology, Pathobiology, and Therapeutics

Authors: Hofmann, A.F.; Hagey, L.R.

Cell. Mol. Life Sci.

DOI: 10.1007/s00018-008-8006-4
Peer Queries & FAQs
Why use Sodium Cholate instead of Cholic Acid in the lab?
Its much higher water solubility makes it far easier to prepare aqueous detergent buffers at the concentrations typically needed for membrane protein work.
What is the critical micelle concentration (CMC) of Sodium Cholate?
It has a relatively high CMC (roughly 9-15 mM depending on conditions) compared to synthetic detergents, which aids its removal by dialysis during protein reconstitution.
Is Sodium Cholate used in any marketed drug products?
Bile salts including sodium cholate appear as solubilizing/absorption-enhancing excipients in select oral and topical formulations.
What is the recommended storage condition?
Store in a tightly sealed container at room temperature, protected from moisture.

Need a Custom Derivative or Labeled Analog?

Our R&D centers specialize in the design and process development of complex heterocyclic and chiral molecules — mg to kg scale.

Request Custom Synthesis Quote Check Manufacturing Scale