| Summary: | 碩士 === 中山醫學大學 === 生化暨生物科技研究所 === 93 === Elevated serum levels of uric acid have been associated with an increased risk for hyperuricemia, gout, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and renal failure. In recent years, attention has been focused on the bioactive properties of edible plants, an important role in the prevention of disease. Hibiscus sabdariffa L., a local soft drink material and medicinal herb in Taiwan, is usually used effectively in native medicines against hypertension, pyrexia and liver disorders. Here, we report an extract, HSE (Hibiscus sabdariffa extract), designed to determine whether the effects of it on oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia could be associated with altered urate enzymes containing uricase and xanthine oxidase. SD rats were treated ip with normal saline and oxonate solution (250 mg/kg) with or without feeding 1 %, 2 % or 5 % HSE for 5 weeks. The xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of allopurinol, a clinical drug, was negative control. During the five-week study period, the rats were measured plasma uric acid values once every week. Further investigation showed that HSE effectively inhibited oxonic acid-induced hyperuricemia via increasing the activity of uricase, but not affecting xanthine oxidase. Finally, oral HSE had a hypouricemic effect 1 h after its administration to oxonate-pretreated rats. These results suggested that a continuous intake of Hibiscus sabdariffa L. may be effective for the prevention and the treatment of gout and hyperuricemia.
|
|---|
