Abstract
Solidago virgaurea L. is a perennial plant used in European traditional medicine as a diuretic or a remedy for inflammatory conditions of the urinary tract but also for gout, especially in the Balkans. The present study was focused on a preclinical, in vivo evaluation of antihyperuricemic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive effects of a dry extract from S. virgaurea L. (ESV). Colorimetric and HPLC–MS techniques were used to identify the main chemical constituents of ESV. Antihyperuricemic effect of ESV was assessed in a rat model of hyperuricemia induced by the administration of potassium oxonate. Antihypertensive effect of ESV was evaluated in hyperuricemic rats by monitoring systolic blood pressure with a non-invasive blood-pressure recording system. The anti-inflammatory effect of ESV was tested using a rat model of paw edema. The main chemical constituents of ESV were rutin and phenolic acids represented by chlorogenic and caffeic acid. ESV demonstrated significant antihyperuricemic effects in rats due to an uricosuric mechanism. Additionally, ESV reduced the progression of arterial hypertension in hyperuricemic rats and also showed anti-inflammatory properties slightly inferior to diclofenac. The results suggest that ESV could be a natural remedy for the treatment of gout and protection against endothelial dysfunction caused by hyperuricemia.
Highlights
Gout is a metabolic disease usually affecting the joints, associated with severe pain and major impairment of quality of life [1]
A recent study found a significant content of rutin and hyperoside in S. virgaurea, and in S. gigantea and S. canadensis; due to the similarities in the chemical composition of the species from Solidago genus, morphoanatomical criteria could be used for a positive identification of S. virgaurea L. [22]
Another study showed that rutin produced a significant antihyperuricemic effect in a mouse model of oxonate-induced hyperuricemia by downregulating the renal expression of mouse URAT1 transporter, the key structure involved in uric acid reabsorption in the kidneys [29]
Summary
Gout is a metabolic disease usually affecting the joints, associated with severe pain and major impairment of quality of life [1]. The therapeutical effects of the current gout medication are often associated with serious side effects, which may reduce patient compliance and the success of the treatment. In this context, the discovery of alternative drugs with antihyperuricemic properties could be important for large categories of patients; natural sources of new drugs are increasingly researched. Multiple studies have investigated the antihyperuricemic effect of natural products identifying several promising drug sources represented by plant species mainly from Asia: Smilax riparia, Sinofranchetia chinensis or Emblica officinalis [6,7]. This work was focused on the preclinical evaluation of antihyperuricemic, anti-inflammatory, and antihypertensive effects of a dry extract from S. virgaurea (ESV)
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