PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Haidari, Fatemeh
AU  - Rashidi, Mohammad R.
AU  - Eshraghian, Mohammad R.
AU  - Mahboob, Soltan A.
AU  - Shahi, Majid M.
AU  - Keshavarz, Seid A.
TI  - Hypouricemic and antioxidant activities of Allium cepa Lilliaceae and quercetin in normal and hyperuricemic rats
DP  - 2008 Nov 01
TA  - Saudi Medical Journal
PG  - 1573--1579
VI  - 29
IP  - 11
4099  - http://smj.org.sa/content/29/11/1573.short
4100  - http://smj.org.sa/content/29/11/1573.full
SO  - Saudi Med J2008 Nov 01; 29
AB  - OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the hypouricemic and antioxidant effects of Allium cepa Lilliaceae (Allium cepa L.) and quercetin in normal and hyperuricemic rats.METHODS: The following study was conducted in the Department of Nutrition and Biochemistry, Tehran University of Medical Science, Iran, between May 2007 and March 2008. A total of 48 male Wistar rats (body weights: 180-200 g) were randomly divided into 8 equal groups including normal; normal + Allium cepa L. (5g/kg); normal + quercetin (5mg/kg); normal + allopurinol (5mg/kg); hyperuricemic; hyperuricemic + Allium cepa L. (5g/kg); hyperuricemic + quercetin (5mg/kg); hyperuricemic + allopurinol (5mg/kg) once a day for 14 days. Experimentally, hyperuricemia in rats was induced by intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate (250mg/kg).RESULTS: Allium cepa L. and quercetin treatments for 14 days significantly reduced (p=0.000) the serum uric acid levels of hyperuricemic rats in a time-dependent manner. All treatments significantly inhibited hepatic xanthine oxidase/xanthine dehydrogenase activity. Allium cepa L. and quercetin treatments led also to a significant improvement in biomarkers of oxidative stress in hyperuricemic rats (p=0.000). Although the hypouricemic effect of allopurinol was much higher than that of Allium cepa L. and quercetin, it could not significantly change oxidative stress biomarkers.CONCLUSION: These results may be responsible partly for the beneficial effects of Allium cepa L. and its major flavonoid on hyperuricemia and oxidative stress.