Lonicera hypoglauca inhibits xanthine oxidase and reduces serum uric acid in mice

Planta Med. 2009 Mar;75(4):302-6. doi: 10.1055/s-0029-1185300. Epub 2009 Jan 30.

Abstract

Xanthine oxidase (XOD) catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and then to uric acid, and is a key enzyme in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia. The ability of extracts of Lonicera hypoglauca (Caprifoliaceae) to inhibit XOD was investigated in this study. An ethanol extract (LH-crude) of the leaves of L. hypoglauca and its derived EtOAc soluble sub-fractions (LH-EA) significantly inhibited XOD activity, with IC50 values for LH-crude and LH-EA of 48.8 and 35.2 microg/mL. Moreover, LH-EA reduced serum urate levels IN VIVO in a potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mouse model, by 70.1% and 93.7% of the hyperuricemic untreated group at doses of 300 and 500 mg/kg of LH-EA, respectively. Finally, we used bioactivity-guided fractionation to isolate a new bisflavonoid, loniceraflavone, which showed significant inhibition of XOD (IC50=0.85 microg/mL). These results suggest that L. hypoglauca and its extracts may have a considerable potential for development as an anti-hyperuricemia agent for clinical application.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Flavonoids / chemistry
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Hyperuricemia / blood
  • Hyperuricemia / chemically induced*
  • Hyperuricemia / drug therapy
  • Lonicera / chemistry*
  • Male
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Uric Acid / blood*
  • Xanthine Oxidase / antagonists & inhibitors*

Substances

  • Flavonoids
  • Plant Extracts
  • loniceraflavone
  • Uric Acid
  • Xanthine Oxidase