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Antihyperuricemic and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of the ethanolic extract of Tribulus arabicus and its fractions
Author(s) -
AbuGharbieh Eman,
Shehab Naglaa G.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.1068.6
Subject(s) - xanthine oxidase , chemistry , uric acid , ethyl acetate , allopurinol , traditional medicine , chloroform , butanol , in vivo , ethanol , pharmacology , chromatography , biochemistry , enzyme , biology , medicine , microbiology and biotechnology , pathology
Published data concerning the composition and bioactivity of Tribulus arabicus are very limited. This study aimed to investigate the bioactive contents of the Tribulus arabicus grown in the United Arab Emirates, assess xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of its ethanolic extract, and fractions; hexane, chloroform and n‐butanol and to evaluate their antihyperuricemic in vivo . LD 50 of the ethanolic extract confirmed its safety up to 5g/kg. The ethanolic extract and its fractions were evaluated in vitro for their XO inhibitory activity and the in vivo for anti‐hyperuricemic activity using potassium oxonate‐induced hyperuricemia model in mice. Two different doses (250 and 500 mg/kg) of the ethanolic extract were used and one dose (100 mg/kg) was used for each fraction. Allopurinol was used as a positive control. Tribulus arabicus ethanolic extract together with its hexane and n‐butanol fractions exhibited a significant inhibitory effect on xanthine oxidase activity (IC 50 20.4, 12.6 and 15.3 μg/mL respectively), while only a modest reduction in enzymatic activity was noticed with chloroform fraction with IC 50 45.8 μg/mL. Furthermore, oral administration of the ethanolic extract at doses of 250 and 500 mg/kg reduced significantly the serum urate levels in oxonate‐induced hyperuricemic mice by 30.1 and 64.6% respectively. Hexane and n‐butanol fractions showed a significant reduction in uric acid levels by 51.7 and 54.1% respectively. Results suggest that the ethanolic extract of Tribulus arabicus and its hexane and n‐butanol fractions might have great potential as a hypouricemic agent. This activity is attributed to the high content of phenolic and triterpenoidal compounds.