Objective: To study hypouricemic effect of aqueous extract of Lysimachia christinae on hyperuricemia in mice.
Method: The uricase inhibitor potassium oxonate was used to induce hyperuricemia in mice, and serum uric acid level was determined with the phosphotungstic acid method.
Result: The aqueous extract of Lysimachia christinae, when administered orally to the oxonate-induced hyperuricemic mice at the doses of 5.2, 10.4 and 20.8 g.kg-1, was able to elicit dose-dependent hypouricemic effects. At these doses of the extract, the serum urate levels of the oxonate-pretreated mice showed no difference from the normal mice. In normal mice, however, oral administration of the extract at the same doses did not produce any observable hypouricemic effects.
Conclusion: The aqueous extract of Lysimachia christinae possesses potent hypuricemic effects on models of hyperuricemia in mice pretreated with oxonate.