article · Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences
Hyperuricemia is a metabolic condition characterised by abnormally high concentrations of serum uric acid. While Alocasia longiloba has been recognised for its ethnomedicinal properties and phytochemical content, its safety profile and therapeutic potential against hyperuricemia had not been previously documented. This investigation evaluated the acute oral toxicity and anti-hyperuricemic properties of ethanolic extracts from the fruit and petiole of the plant using Sprague-Dawley rats. Toxicity assessments over a two-week period following a 2000 mg/kg oral dose revealed no adverse behavioural effects, weight variations, or significant changes in hematological, biochemical, and histopathological markers. In rats with potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemia, daily administration of either the fruit or petiole extract over fourteen days significantly lowered serum uric acid levels compared to untreated models. The findings demonstrate that these extracts lower uric acid without causing acute toxicity in animal models.
Elevated uric acid levels are linked to painful metabolic disorders such as gout. Exploring natural plant products offers a route to identifying alternative therapeutic options. Demonstrating that Alocasia longiloba extracts can lower uric acid levels in rats without causing immediate toxic harm establishes a baseline of safety and efficacy for further pharmacological exploration.
This research could inform the development of natural therapeutic agents or nutraceuticals targeting hyperuricemia and related conditions. Prospective users include pharmaceutical developers and natural product formulators seeking plant-derived alternatives to manage uric acid levels. Given that testing remains confined to animal models, this work represents early-stage preclinical research, requiring comprehensive chronic toxicity assessments, compound isolation, and clinical trials before any commercial application is viable.
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Hyperuricemia is defined as a metabolic abnormality that occurs when serum uric acid (UA) level is abnormally high in the body. We previously reported that <i>A. longiloba</i> possesses various important phytochemicals and <i>in vitro</i> xanthine oxidase activity. Despite <i>A. longiloba</i> ethnomedicinal benefits, its toxicity and anti-hyperuricemic effects have not been reported. The present study was carried out to ensure the safety and investigate the anti-hyperuricemic effects of <i>A. longiloba</i> fruit and petiole ethanolic extracts on rats. In the acute toxicity study, extracts were orally administered at a dose of 2000 mg/kg bodyweight and closely monitored for 2-week for any toxicity effects. The rats were then sacrificed and samples were collected and analyzed for hematological, biochemical, and histopathological parameters. The anti-hyperuricemic effect of <i>A. longiloba</i> fruit or petiole extract was investigated through determination of UA levels on potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemic rats. Extracts or standard drug treatments were orally administrated 1-h after PO administration for 14-day. Animals were euthanized and samples were collected for further experiments. The toxicity results show, no significant changes were observed in behavioral, bodyweight changes in experimental groups compared to the control. Moreover, there were no significant changes in hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters between extracts treated and control group. In the anti-hyperuricemia study, the fruit and petiole extracts treatments significantly reduced the level of UA in serum compared to the hyperuricemic model group. This study demonstrated that the extracts of <i>A. longiloba</i> have anti-hyperuricemic activity and was found to be non-toxic to rats in acute toxicity test.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2022.01.050
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