Hyodeoxycholic acid is primarily used in the pharmaceutical industry for its role in the synthesis of ursodeoxycholic acid, a medication employed to treat gallstones and liver disorders such as primary biliary cholangitis. It is also being explored for its potential in cancer research, particularly in inducing apoptosis in certain cancer cells. Additionally, it has applications in the study of bile acid metabolism and as a reference standard in analytical chemistry for the quantification of bile acids in biological samples. Its derivatives are being investigated for their anti-inflammatory and cholesterol-lowering properties, making it a compound of interest in therapeutic development.