Uric acid-lowering active ingredients and mechanism of Cichorium intybus / 中草药

ABSTRACT

Objective: To investigate the active ingredients of chicory on uric acid-lowering, and make a preliminary study on the safety as well as mechanism of uric acid-lowering. Methods: Fifty quails were evenly randomized into five groups, namely normal group, model group, benzbromarone (20 mg/kg) group, high-dose and low-dose mixture groups (150, and 50 mg/kg), 10 quails in each group. Except for the normal group, the quails in other groups were given high purine diet (ordinary forage mixed with 15 g/kg of yeast extract powder) to induce hyperuricemia model. And then we observed the changes of UA, ALT, AST, Cr, BUN, XOD, and ADA levels in serum during the treatment. Results: During the molding period, model group of serum UA level significantly increased (P 0.05) in 7-21 d; The XOD and ADA levels showed different degrees of inhibition. Conclusion: Chlorogenic acid, aesculin, as well as chicoric acid has the effect on lowering serum uric acid level in quail hyperuricemia model, which may be associated with reducing the activities of XOD and ADA levels.