Phytopharmacology of uric acid metabolism – challenging aspects and overlap with the commonly used drugs effects

Abstract

The problem of uric acid metabolism regulation remains to be an important field of pharmacology which has expanded far beyond the problem of anti-gout and anti-nephrolithiasis interventions. A double-edged role of uric acid [1, 2] as a molecule participating in both deleterious processes (pro-inflammatory role including the inflammasomes activation, involvement into metabolic syndrome and salt-sensitivity development, negative impact of xanthine oxidase (XOD) increased activity with the prooxidants generation, especially on the vessel wall) and beneficial mechanisms including neuroprotection and contributing to the increase in cognitive functions and motivations, cytoprotection and antioxidative activity in certain biological media [3, 4].