Purine-rich Foods Research Articles

Microfluidic Wearable Electrochemical Sensor Based on MOF-Derived Hexagonal Rod-Shaped Porous Carbon for Sweat Metabolite and Electrolyte Analysis.

Wearable sensors enable the noninvasive continuous analysis of biofluid, which is of great importance for healthcare monitoring. In this work, a wearable sensor was seamlessly integrated with a microfluidic chip which was prepared by a three-dimensional printing technology for noninvasive and multiplexed analysis of metabolite and electrolytes in human sweat. The microfluidic chip could enable rapid sampling of sweat, which avoids the sweat evaporation and contamination. Using a Zn metal-organic framework as a sacrificial template, the hexagonal rod-shaped porous carbon nanorod (PCN) with high porosity, a large specific surface area, and excellent conductivity was synthesized and exhibited the robust electrocatalytic ability of uric acid (UA) oxidation. Therefore, the PCN-based sensor showed high sensitivity and good selectivity of UA with a wide linear range of 10-200 μM and a low detection limit of 4.13 μM. Meanwhile, the potentiometry-based ion-selective electrode was constructed for detection of pH and K+, respectively, with good sensitivity, selectivity, reproducibility, and stability. In addition, the testing under different bending states demonstrated that mechanical deformation had little effect on the electrochemical performance of the wearable sensors. Furthermore, we evaluated the utility of the wearable sensor for multiplexed real-time analysis of UA, pH, and K+ in sweat during aerobic exercise, and the effect of the amount of consumed purine-rich foods on uric acid metabolite levels in sweat and urine was further investigated. The relationship between urine UA and sweat UA was obtained. Overall, this wearable sensor enables multiple electrolyte and metabolite analysis in different noninvasive biofluids, suggesting its potential application in personalized disease prevention.

Phytochemical component profiling and anti-renal fibrosis effects of crude and salt-stir fried Eucommiae Cortex extracts on renal fibrosis rats caused by high-purine diet

A prolonged diet laden with purine-rich foods represents a significant contributor to renal fibrosis (RF). Eucommia ulmoides Oliver, a plant homologous to food and medicinal materials, has long been employed to recover kidney function. This investigation presents a strategy integrating chemistry, biochemistry, and metabolomics to evaluate bioactive components and efficiency mechanism of crude and salt-stir fried Eucommiae Cortex (EC) extracts against RF. Firstly, 155 chemical components were identified in the EC extracts and the contents of 19 and 27 compounds decreased and increased respectively after salt-stir frying. Secondly, various biochemical indicators displayed that salt-stir fried EC (SEC) extracts had the optimal anti-RF effects in adenine-induced RF model rats, which were associated with the attenuation of TGF-β signaling pathway. Finally, untargeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that after treatments with EC and SEC extracts, 30 and 32 efficacy biomarkers were significantly restored in the RF + EC and RF + SEC groups respectively, involving five metabolic pathways.

The Cellular Genesis of Metabolic Syndrome and the Role of Anti-urate Drugs in Hyperuricemia Patients: A Systematic Review.

Hyperuricemia results due to the underexcretion of uric acid through kidneys or overproduction due to either intake of purine-rich foods, a high caloric diet, or a decreased activity of purine recycler hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT). Increased xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) enzyme activity may contribute to hyperuricemia. Literature provides growing evidence that an independent component that contributes to the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and associated comorbiditiesis hyperuricemia. Thus, precise cellular mechanisms involved during MetS and related comorbidities in hyperuricemia, and the role of anti-urate medicines in these mechanisms require further investigations.We searched online libraries PubMed and Google Scholar for data collection. We used Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines for literature identification, selection, screening, and determining eligibility to produce unbiased meaningful outcomes. We applied quality assessment tools for the quality appraisal of the studies. And, outcomes were extracted from the selected studies, which revealed the relationship between hyperuricemia and MetS components by causing inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. The selected studies reflected the role of xanthine oxide (XO)inhibitors beyond inhibition. This systematic review concluded that hyperuricemia independently causes inflammation, oxidative stress, endothelial damage, and endoplasmic reticulum stress in patients with hyperuricemia. These mechanisms provide a cellular basis for metabolic syndrome and related comorbidities. In this context, XOinhibitors and their beneficial effects go beyond XOR inhibition to ameliorate these pathological mechanisms.

P054 R. intestinalis improves inflammatory bowel disease by preventing gut uric acid absorption through inhibiting METTL3 mediated m6A modification of SLC2A9

Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease with persistent, recurrent, unsatisfactory response, and a poor prognosis. The incidence of Chinese IBD has increased rapidly, and Westernized diets such as purine-rich foods play an important role in its rapid growth. The alteration of purine-urate metabolism by microbiota may contribute to the development of IBD. Methods In this study, metagenomic and metabolomic analyses were performed on fecal samples from 30 untreated IBD patients and 30 healthy controls. R. intestinalis was used to observe the effect on serum uric acid levels in mice, respectively. Body weight, colon length, disease activity score, serum uric acid levels, and electron microscopy were all assessed. The RNAseq analysis of intestinal tissue from DSS-induced colitis mice intervened with R. intestinalis and co-cultured with R. intestinalis and the normal intestinal epithelial cell line NCM460, combined with m6A antibody dot blot assay, RM2Target database, and MeRIP sequencing data analysis, provided evidence that SLC2A9 was modified by METTL3, and SRAMP database predicted the potential for SLC2A9 mRNA to be modified by m6A after R. intestinalis intervention. Results Multi-omics analysis revealed that the abundance of R. intestinalis was significantly decreased in untreated IBD patients, and metabolomics revealed a correlation between high uric acid levels and disease severity, while the multi-omics integrated analysis suggested a significant negative correlation between R. intestinalis and uric acid. The research team confirmed that R. intestinalis can lower blood uric acid levels in mice and found that R. intestinalis intervention can alleviate the intestinal mucosal inflammation exacerbated by uric acid treatment in a DSS-induced mouse colitis model. Butyric acid has been reported to regulate m6A, and dot blot assays showed that R. intestinalis can reduce the m6A modification level of intestinal epithelial cells, METTL3, and SLC2A9. RM2Target database identified the protein-RNA interaction of the m6A regulator (WER) for SLC2A9 mRNA, and MeRIP sequencing data further indicated that METTL3 can bind to SLC2A9 mRNA through m6A modification. Meanwhile, based on sequence prediction, the research team identified 13 potential m6A modification sites on SLC2A9 mRNA, of which 4 sites had extremely high credibility . The highest credibility site had a score of 0.694, with a modification site sequence of GGACU located on an adenosine nucleotide. Conclusion R. intestinalis inhibit the METTL3 mediated m6A modification of intestinal epithelial SLC2A9, reducing the expression of SLC2A9, preventing the epithelial absorption of uric acid, and relieving IBD-related colitis

Diet and metabolism are back: The oldest known Islamic medical manuscript bridges the gap from ancient to modern gout management.

Gout is a chronic disease frequently associated with lifestyle; its prevalence is increasing in Western societies, as well as in the Middle East. Apart from its partial genetic features, diet accounts for 12% of the causality of the disease, while purine-rich foods contribute decisively to its development and evaluation. The influential Persian physician of the medieval ages, Abu Bakr Muhammad Ibn Zakariya al-Razi (or by his Latin name Rhazes; 860-925 AD), wrote a short book (20 chapters) entitled 'Treatise on gout'. Rhazes adopted the Hippocratic humoralism, and suggested that the disease results from metabolic excess in the peripheral blood, presenting sex dimorphism and age-dependence. His therapeutic guidelines include a diet prescribed by a physician, the use of laxatives and emetics, counter-balancing excess or deficiency of bile or phlegm and analgesics, bloodletting, foot and steam baths, as well as salves and poultices as preventive measures. He appends differential dietary restrictions/suggestions for phlegmatic or choleric patients: Small rations and intake of good quality foods low in purine by 20% for phlegmatic and 28% for choleric patients, as well as the restriction of foods high in purine by 27% for phlegmatic and 22% for the choleric patients. Finally, the acidic to alkaloid food intake ratio suggested is 2/5 for choleric and 3/7 for phlegmatic patients. His suggested foods and drugs are vitamin C and B-rich complexes, thereby inhibiting the accumulation of tophi.

Determination of purines in prepackaged food using optimum acid hydrolysis followed by high performance liquid chromatography.

A high performance liquid chromatography was established to determine purine content of prepackaged food. Chromatographic separation was performed on Agilent5 TC-C18 column. Ammonium formate (10mmol/L, pH=3.385) and methanol (99:1) were used as mobile phase. Purine concentration and peak area showed good linear relationships in the range from 1 to 40mg/L (guanine, hypoxanthine, adenine) and xanthine exhibited a good linear relationship ranged from 0.1 to 4.0mg/L. Recoveries of four purines ranged from 93.03% to 107.42%. Purine content in prepackaged food was following: animal derived prepackaged food: 16.13-90.18mg/100g; beans and bean products: 66.36-157.11mg/100g; fruits and fruit products: 5.64-21.79mg/100g; instant rice and flour products: 5.68-30.83mg/100g; fungi, algae, fungi and algae products: 32.57-70.59mg/100g. This proposed method had good precision and accuracy with a wide linear range for detection of purine. Animal derived prepackaged food was purine-rich food, purine content of plant derived prepackaged food varied greatly.

Efficacy of Theobromine and Its Metabolites in Reducing the Risk of Uric Acid Lithiasis

Uric acid lithiasis accounts for about 10% of all types of renal lithiasis. The most common causes of uric acid lithiasis are low urinary pH, followed by high concentration of urinary uric acid, and low diuresis. Treatment of patients consists of alkalinization of urine, reducing the consumption of purine-rich foods, and administration of xanthine oxidase inhibitors, because there are no established therapeutic inhibitors of uric acid crystallization. We recently found that theobromine inhibited uric acid crystallization in vitro, and that the increased urinary level of theobromine following its oral consumption was associated with the prevention of uric acid crystallization. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effects of theobromine metabolites and other methylxanthine-related compounds on uric acid crystallization. We also measured the urinary concentrations of theobromine and its metabolites in samples from healthy individuals and patients with uric acid stones and compared the extent of uric acid supersaturation and uric acid crystal formation in these different samples. Theobromine and other methylxanthines that lacked a substituent at position 1 inhibited uric acid crystallization, but other methylxanthines did not have this effect. Individuals with clinical parameters that favored uric acid crystallization did not develop uric acid crystals when theobromine and its metabolites were in the urine at high levels. Thus, theobromine and its metabolites reduced the risk of uric acid lithiasis.

Higher serum uric acid is associated with poorer cognitive performance in healthy middle-aged people: a cross-sectional study

Age-related cognitive impairment can occur many years before the onset of the clinical symptoms of dementia. Uric acid (UA), a metabolite of purine-rich foods, has been shown to be positively associated with improved cognitive function, but such association remains controversial. Moreover, most of the previous studies investigating the association included elderly participants with memory-related diseases. Therefore, the present study aimed at investigating whether serum UA (sUA) is associated with cognitive performance in healthy middle-aged individuals. We conducted a cross-sectional study on a cohort of middle-aged individuals (40–60 years old) who participated in the Qatar Biobank. The participants had no memory-related diseases, schizophrenia, stroke, or brain damage. They were divided according to sUA level into a normal group (< 360 μmol/L) and a high group (≥ 360 μmol/L), and underwent an assessment of cognitive function using the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery. Two cognitive function domains were assessed: (a) speed of reaction/reaction time and (b) short-term visual memory. The median age of the 931 participants included in the study was 48.0 years (IQR: 44.0, 53.0), of which 47.6% were male. Adjusted multivariable linear regression analyses showed that higher sUA is associated with poorer performance on the visual memory domain of cognitive function (β = − 6.87, 95% CI − 11.65 to − 2.10, P = 0.005), but not on the speed of reaction domain (β = − 55.16, 95% CI − 190.63 to 80.30, P = 0.424). Our findings support previous studies suggesting an inverse association between high sUA levels and cognitive function in elderly and extend the evidence for such a role to middle-aged participants. Further prospective studies are warranted to investigate the relationship between UA and cognition.

Nutrition Interventions for the Management of Gout

Nutrition Interventions for the Management of Gout

The Influence of Gout Sufferers' Uric Acid Levels On Boiled Water Soursop Leaves (Annona Muricata)

This study sought to ascertain the impact of administering cooked water Soursop leaves (Annona muricata) to gout patients in the village of Plososari Mojokerto on their uric acid levels. This study's design was not experimental. All of the 20 plososari mojokerto individuals with gout made up the study's population. Total sampling is the sample method used in this study. According to the findings of statistical testing, there was a drop in uric acid levels before and after, with 20 (100%) of the respondents having high levels before, 10 (50%) after, and 10 (50%) of the remaining respondents having normal levels. One that results from their excessive consumption of purine-rich foods.

Changes in purine and uric acid content in edible insects during culinary processing

Recently, edible insects were proposed to be promising alternative foods combining nutritional, environmental, and economic benefits. While composition of the basic nutrients of insects is quite well known, little is known about other compounds contained in them such as purines. From this point of view, raw insects were reported to belong among purine-rich foods. However, they are generally consumed after culinary processing, which is known to affect nutritional composition of foods. Therefore, we aimed to analyze the effect of culinary processing (including various combinations of boiling, roasting, blanching, baking, and oven drying) on purine (adenine, guanine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine) contents and their metabolite (uric acid) in three insects (Tenebrio molitor, Gryllus assimilis, and Acheta domesticus) fit for human consumption using RP-HPLC with UV detection. According to obtained data, boiling for 15 min significantly reduced the purine content in T. molitor but did not affect the purine levels in A. domesticus and G. assimilis. In contrast, the purine content increased in all insects after baking (especially at 220 °C). The information this study provides can help people suffering from gout interested in entomophagy to choose the best culinary treatment of insects to help prevent gout symptoms.

Cupressus sempervirens L. flavonoids as potent inhibitors to xanthine oxidase: in vitro, molecular docking, ADMET and PASS studies

Excessive intake of purine-rich foods such as seafood and red meat leads to excess xanthine oxidase activity and provokes gout attacks. The aim of this paper is to evaluate in vitro and in silico, the inhibition effect of Cupressus sempervirens plant extracts (flavonoids (Cae) and alkaloids (CaK)) and its six derivative compounds on bovine xanthine oxidase (BXO). The in silico study consists of molecular docking with GOLD v4.0 based on the best PLPchem score (PLP) and prediction of biological activity with the PASS server tool. The inhibitors used were lignan (cp1), Amentoflavone (cp2), Cupressuflavone (cp3), Isocryptomerin (cp4), Hinokiflavone (cp5), and Neolignan (cp6). The in vitro results showed that CaK gives an IC50 of 3.52 ± 0.04 μg/ml. Similarly, Cae saved an IC50 of 8.46 ± 1.98 μg/ml compared with the control (2.82 ± 0.10 μg/ml). The in silico results show that cp1 was the best inhibitor model (PLP of 88.09) with approved pharmacokinetics. These findings suggest that cp1 and cp2 may offer good alternatives for the treatment of hyperuricemia; cp3 was moderate, while the others (cp4 to cp6) were considered weak inhibitors according to their PLP. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma

EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION ON THE EVOLUTION OF GOUT: THE CASE OF THE LA PROVIDENCE CLINIC IN NDJAMENA

Gout is a fairly common problem in middle-aged men. Despite the high prevalence of the condition, there are few clinical studies of gout patients in Chad. The management of gout is based on the treatment and prevention of very painful gout attacks. In general, treatments for gout attacks are not based on rigorous scientific data. The present study aims to contribute to the nutritional management of gout. We used socio-demographic and cultural characteristics of gout patients, patients knowledge of the aetiology and management of their disease before assessing the effect of nutrition education on disease progression. A total of 50 patients suffering from gout and attending the clinic La providence in NDjamena were included in the study from 20 June to 26 July 2016. Our study shows that environmental factors play a significant role in the occurrence of gout: overweight, regular alcohol consumption, diet rich in purines (red meat and offal in particular). The effectiveness of dietary advice such as avoiding purine-rich foods and increasing fluid intake (2 to 3 litres of water per day) has been demonstrated, but these measures are recommended. It is advisable to limit alcohol consumption and to reduce body weight.

Not all the eggs and the chickens are the same: The case of uric acid and metabolic syndrome

Uric acid represents the end-product of purine metabolism in humans and the great apes where it has played some evolutive roles over the time [ [1] Bardin T. Richette P. Definition of hyperuricemia and gouty conditions. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2014; 26: 186-191 Crossref PubMed Scopus (218) Google Scholar ]. The production of uric acid is largely regulated by xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) that is converting hypoxanthine to uric acid and is partially responsible for the increase in the serum levels of urate and its possible biological and pathological effects [ [1] Bardin T. Richette P. Definition of hyperuricemia and gouty conditions. Curr Opin Rheumatol. 2014; 26: 186-191 Crossref PubMed Scopus (218) Google Scholar ]. Historically the increase in serum urate has been linked to some dietary habits (e.g. alcohol, red meat, seafood, etc.) that however explain only a minor proportion of the variance in serum uric acid levels when compared with inherited genetic variants [ [2] Choi H._.K. Atkinson K. Karlson E.W. Willett W. Curhan G. Purine-rich foods, dairy and protein intake, and the risk of gout in men. N Engl J Med. 2004; 350: 1093-1103 Crossref PubMed Scopus (761) Google Scholar ]. More importantly, uric acid is also synthesized in the liver, intestines, muscle, and vascular endothelium and this endogenous production could be more strictly related to the effects of increased serum urate beyond its crystal precipitation at the level of joints, soft tissue, kidneys, and other organs [ [3] El Ridi R. Tallima H. Physiological functions and pathogenic potential of uric acid: a review. J Adv Res. 2017; 8: 487-493 Crossref PubMed Scopus (167) Google Scholar ]. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated the role of increased serum urate as a possible etiologic mechanism in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular, metabolic, and renal diseases [ 4 Borghi C. Agabiti-Rosei E. Johnson R.J. Kielstein J.T. Lurbe E. Mancia G. Redon J. Stack A.G. Tsioufis K.P. Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease. Eur J Intern Med. 2020; 80: 1-11 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar , 5 Borghi C. Agabiti-Rosei E. Johnson R.J. Kielstein J.T. Lurbe E. Mancia G. Redon J. Stack A.G. Tsioufis K.P. Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease. Eur J Intern Med. 2020; 80: 1-11 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar , 6 Borghi C. Agnoletti D. Cicero A.F.G. Lurbe E. Virdis A. Uric acid and hypertension: a review of evidence and future perspectives for the management of cardiovascular risk. Hypertension. 2022 Jun 6; (101161HYPERTENSIONAHA12217956) Crossref PubMed Google Scholar ]. In particular, the presence of hyperuricemia above the levels of 5.5 mg/dL has been reported as a risk factors for hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AF), chronic kidney disease (CKD), heart failure (HF), coronary artery disease (CAD), and cardiovascular death [ [4] Borghi C. Agabiti-Rosei E. Johnson R.J. Kielstein J.T. Lurbe E. Mancia G. Redon J. Stack A.G. Tsioufis K.P. Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease. Eur J Intern Med. 2020; 80: 1-11 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar , [5] Borghi C. Agabiti-Rosei E. Johnson R.J. Kielstein J.T. Lurbe E. Mancia G. Redon J. Stack A.G. Tsioufis K.P. Hyperuricaemia and gout in cardiovascular, metabolic and kidney disease. Eur J Intern Med. 2020; 80: 1-11 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (59) Google Scholar ]. In addition, elevated levels of serum uric acid have been reported to increase the relative risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome acting though an interference with insulin sensitivity that has been reported as significantly reduced in presence of increased serum urate before the development of hyperglycemia and correlated risk factors [ [7] Han T. Lan L. Qu R. Xu Q. Jiang R. Na L. Sun C Temporal relationship between hyperuricemia and insulin resistance and its impact on future risk of hypertension. Hypertension. 2017; 70 (Oct): 703-711 Crossref PubMed Scopus (43) Google Scholar ]. This observations and many others in the same direction have supported the idea that uric acid per se or the mechanism of its production can be involved in the progressive reduction in tissue insulin sensitivity that may explain the progression toward metabolic abnormalities, increased blood pressure and atherogenic dyslipidemia that can largely contribute to the excess in the risk of cardiovascular disease observed in patients with elevated serum urate levels.

Potential Probiotic Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MJM60396 Prevents Hyperuricemia in a Multiple Way by Absorbing Purine, Suppressing Xanthine Oxidase and Regulating Urate Excretion in Mice.

Hyperuricemia is a metabolic disorder caused by increased uric acid (UA) synthesis or decreased UA excretion. Changes in eating habits have led to an increase in the consumption of purine-rich foods, which is closely related to hyperuricemia. Therefore, decreased purine absorption, increased UA excretion, and decreased UA synthesis are the main strategies to ameliorate hyperuricemia. This study aimed to screen the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with purine degrading ability and examine the serum UA-lowering effect in a hyperuricemia mouse model. As a result, Lacticaseibacillus paracasei MJM60396 was selected from 22 LAB isolated from fermented foods for 100% assimilation of inosine and guanosine. MJM60396 showed probiotic characteristics and safety properties. In the animal study, the serum uric acid was significantly reduced to a normal level after oral administration of MJM60396 for 3 weeks. The amount of xanthine oxidase, which catalyzes the formation of uric acid, decreased by 81%, and the transporters for excretion of urate were upregulated. Histopathological analysis showed that the damaged glomerulus, Bowman’s capsule, and tubules of the kidney caused by hyperuricemia was relieved. In addition, the impaired intestinal barrier was recovered and the expression of tight junction proteins, ZO-1 and occludin, was increased. Analysis of the microbiome showed that the relative abundance of Muribaculaceae and Lachnospiraceae bacteria, which were related to the intestinal barrier integrity, was increased in the MJM60396 group. Therefore, these results demonstrated that L. paracasei MJM60396 can prevent hyperuricemia in multiple ways by absorbing purines, decreasing UA synthesis by suppressing xanthine oxidase, and increasing UA excretion by regulating urate transporters.

Probiotic Characterization of Lactobacillus brevis MJM60390 and In Vivo Assessment of Its Antihyperuricemic Activity.

Uric acid is the final product of purine metabolism in human. The increase of serum uric acid is tightly related to the incidence of hyperuricemia and gout. Also, it has been reported that the intake of purine-rich foods like meat and seafood is associated with an increased risk of gout. Therefore, the reduction of purine absorption is one of therapeutic approaches to prevent hyperuricemia and gout. Currently, probiotics are being studied for the management of hyperuricemia and gout. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of Lactobacillus brevis MJM60390 on hyperuricemia induced by a high-purine diet and potassium oxonate in a mouse model. L. brevis MJM60390 among 24 lactic acid bacteria isolated from fermented foods showed the highest ability to assimilate inosine and guanosine in vitro and typical probiotic characteristics, like the absence of bioamine production, D-lactate production, hemolytic activity, as well as tolerance to simulated orogastrointestinal conditions and adherence to Caco-2 cells. In an in vivo animal study, the uric acid level in serum was significantly reduced to a normal level after oral administration of L. brevis MJM60390 for 2 weeks. The activity of xanthine oxidase catalyzing the formation of uric acid was also inhibited by 30%. Interestingly, damage to the glomerulus, Bowman's capsule, and tubules in the hyperuricemia model were reversed by supplementation with this strain. Fecal microbiome analysis revealed that L. brevis MJM60390 supplementation enhanced the relative abundance of the Rikenellaceae family, which produces the short-chain fatty acid butyrate and helps to maintain good gut condition. Therefore, these results demonstrated that L. brevis MJM60390 can be a probiotic candidate to prevent hyperuricemia.

Relationship of medication adherence, serum uric acid level and diet to recurrent attacks of gout

Aim of the workTo evaluate the relationship between medication adherence, serum uric acid (SUA) levels, and diet, with recurrent gout attacks. Patients and methodsThis study included 89 patients being followed up for gouty arthritis. A self-administered, structured questionnaire was used to collect socio-demographic data, gout attacks frequency, history of acute intake of purine rich foods prior to the gouty attack, and adherence to urate-lowering therapies (ULT). Results89 patients were studied, 84 males and 5 females with a mean age of 55.4 ± 13.7 years, disease duration 12.22 ± 9.2 years and body mass index 24.67 ± 5.01. 71.9% were Malays, 20.2% Chinese, 6.7% Indians and 1.1% others. 61.8% had at least one episode of gout flare in the past 6 months. Of the 86 taking ULT, 65 (75.6%) were adherent. There was no difference in clinical characteristics between those who had high versus low adherence. High adherence to ULT was not associated with lower SUA or not having recurrent gout attacks. Having a high SUA level [OR = 2.86 (95%CI:1.52–5.39)], acute intake of purine-rich foods [OR = 2.01 (95%CI:1.09–3.73)] and obesity [OR = 1.58 (95%CI:1.09–2.32)] were significantly associated with recurrent gout attacks. ConclusionsAlthough three-quarters of patients were adherent to their ULT, it was not associated with a reduction in recurrent gout attacks or lower SUA levels. Recurrent gout attacks were associated with a high SUA and an acute intake of purine-rich foods. To reduce the burden of recurrent gout attacks, ULT may need to be intensified even in adherent patients, as well as avoiding dietary indiscretions.

Effects of Eucommia ulmoides extract against renal injury caused by long-term high purine diets in rats.

Diets of overloaded purine-rich foods for a long time are one of the important reasons to cause renal lesions. Eucommia ulmoides is one of the traditional Chinese medicine herbs, which has been used to recover functions of the kidney. However, its mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the effects and protective mechanism of Eucommia ulmoides extract on renal injury caused by long-term high purine diets in rats. SD rats underwent an intragastric adenine (200 mg kg-1 d-1) administration for 9 weeks and were treated for 15 weeks. The results demonstrated that Eucommia ulmoides extract significantly reduced serum Cre and BUN levels in rats. H&E and Masson's trichrome stains showed notable lowering of the infiltration of inflammatory cells, the formation of fibrous tissues and collagen fibers, and improvement in the pathological morphology of kidneys. It also suppressed the protein and mRNA expressions of TGF-β1 and α-SMA and enhanced E-cadherin expression. Meanwhile, Eucommia ulmoides extract prominently inhibited the mRNA expression of Col I, Col III, Col IV, TIMP-1, and TIMP-2 and promoted expressions of MMP-1, MMP-2 and MMP-9. Through our study, it is the first time to prove that Eucommia ulmoides extract could ameliorate renal interstitial fibrosis and may involve in the regulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation enzyme (MMPs/TIMPs) system, promotion of the expression of E-cadherin, and suppression of expressions of TGF-β1 and α-SMA. The results provide a significant implication for the utilization of Eunomia Ulmoides extract as functional foods to enhance renal functions and improve renal injury caused by high purine diets.

The Association between Purine-Rich Food Intake and Hyperuricemia: A Cross-Sectional Study in Chinese Adult Residents.

Objective: To explore the correlation between purine-rich food intake and hyperuricemia in Chinese adult residents. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on the purine-rich food intake of Chinese adult residents based on the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) in 2009. The subjects were divided into hyperuricemia group and nonhyperuricemia group according to serum uric acid level, and the differences of the sociodemographic information (age, gender, and region), health status (weight status, blood pressure, blood sugar status), living habits (alcohol consumption, smoking status) and food intake (purine-rich food, other food) were compared between the two groups. Logistic regressions investigated the associations between the daily intake of purine-rich food (animal-derived food and legumes) and hyperuricemia. Results: Eventually, 6813 subjects were included in our study, 1111 of them had hyperuricemia. The intake of seafood, legumes, red meat, and poultry all increased the risk of hyperuricemia (p < 0.05), while the intake of purine-rich fungi and purine-rich vegetables did not affect the occurrence of hyperuricemia. Animal-derived food was the main source of purine-rich food consumed by Chinese adult residents (140.67 g/day), which had a great impact on hyperuricemia. Finally, after adjusting for gender, age, region, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, hypertension, and refined grains intake, the risk of hyperuricemia increased by 2.40% and 1.10% for each increase of 10 g in animal-derived food intake (OR = 1.024, 95% CI: 1.018–1.030) and legumes intake (OR = 1.011, 95% CI: 1.003–1.019), respectively. Conclusion: The intake of animal-derived food and legumes were positively correlated with the occurrence of hyperuricemia. Controlling the intake of animal-derived food and legumes would be more beneficial to controlling the risk of hyperuricemia.

The effect of purine content on sensory quality of pork

Although high level of purine in foods is considered a risk factor for hyperuricemia and gout, purine-rich foods continue to be popular for their delicious taste. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of purine bases on the sensory quality of pork. A total of 406 longissimus thoracis et lumborum samples were collected from a heterogeneous F6 pig population to determine purine composition and its correlation to sensory quality of pork. The contents of total purine and two major uricogenic bases (adenine and hypoxanthine) were negatively correlated with tenderness, juiciness, oiliness and overall liking (r < −0.2, P < 0.05), but they were not significantly correlated with umami. In contrast, guanine content, which accounts for only about 10% of the total purine content, was positively correlated with umami (r = 0.15, P < 0.05), and had no significant relationships with other sensory indicators. These results imply that purine bases with different uricogenic effects also influence different sensory quality indices of pork.