title: Hypouricemic effect of the methanol extract from Prunus mume fruit in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The fruit of the Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc (Rosaceae) is used as a health food or medicinal material in traditional herb medicine for a long time in Eastern Asian countries.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our present study investigated the hypouricemic effect of the methanol extract from P. mume fruit (MPMF) in mice with potassium oxonate-induced hyperuremia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Effect of MPMF (35, 70 and 140 mg/kg, p.o.) administrated for 7 days on the serum, liver, urinary uric acid levels and liver xanthine oxidase (XO) activity were assessed in mice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hyperuricemic mice induced by potassium oxonate demonstrated an elevation in serum and liver uric acid levels (11.0 mg/dL and 0.52 mg/g tissue) and a reduction in urinary uric acid levels (49.9 mg/dL). Oral administration of 140 mg/kg MPMF for 7 days reversed the abnormalities in serum, liver and urinary uric acid levels (7.1 mg/dL, 0.37 mg/g tissue and 69.7 mg/dL, respectively). In addition, 70 and 140 mg/kg MPMF (3.1 and 2.9 nmol/min per mg protein) inhibited liver XO activity compared with hyperuricemic mice (3.9 nmol/min per mg protein).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicated that the beneficial hypouricaemic effect of MPMF may be mediated, at least in part, by inhibiting XO activity in the liver. Our study suggests that P. mume and its extracts may have a considerable potential for development as an anti-gout agent for clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Engineering, College of Chemical Engineering, Huaqiao University, Xiamen, Fujian province, PR China. litaoyi@hqu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Li-Tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dong-Xue
authors.initials: DX
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jing-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Cheng-Fu
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005638:Fruit; D033461:Hyperuricemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D008297:Male; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D010094:Oxonic Acid / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027861:Prunus / Q000737:chemistry*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism / Q000652:urine; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D014527:Uric Acid; C489337:potassium oxonate; D010094:Oxonic Acid; D014969:Xanthine Oxidase; D000432:Methanol