title: Total saponins from Discorea nipponica makino ameliorate urate excretion in hyperuricemic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to study the mechanism of reducing level of the uric acid by rhizoma dioscoreae nipponese.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 40 rats were divided into four groups: A normal group, hyperuricemia group, benzbromarone group (9 mg/kg) and total saponins from rhizoma dioscoreae nipponese (TDN) group (40 mg/kg). Adenine (100 mg/kg) and ethambutol (250 mg/kg) were used to induce hyperuricemic rats. Immunohistochemical and Western blotting methods were used to detect the mRNA and proteins expressions of rat organic anion transporter1 (rOAT1), rat organic anion transporter3 (rOAT3) and rat urate transporter1 (rURAT1) in the kidneys of different groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was found that the reduced concentration of blood uric acid was due to the enhancement of renal uric acid excretion. It was realized by up-regulating proteins expressions of rOAT1 and rOAT3 and down-regulating of rURAT1.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggested that there were uricosuric effects of TDN by regulating renal organic ion transporters in hyperuricemic animals. Altogether, TDN may be a good Chinese herb in treating hyperuricemia, even a potential drug for gouty arthritis.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, P. R, China.
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, P. R, China.
authors.forename: Dong-Hua
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Technological Innovation Team of Basic Theory Study Research of Institution of Higher Education in Heilongjiang Province, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, P. R, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cell Biology, Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin, P. R, China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: Discorea nipponica makino; gouty arthritis; hyperuricemia; rat organic anion transporter1; rat organic anion transporter3; rat urate transporter 1