Aidan fruit extract found to have flavonoids and phenolic acids that could be used to prevent and treat hyperuricemia

In this study, researchers from Nigeria and Brazil teamed up to examine the phenolic composition and the inhibitory activity of aidan (Tetrapleura tetraptera) fruit extract on xanthine oxidase (XO) and ferrous ion (Fe²⁺)-induced lipid peroxidation in the kidney, liver and lung tissues of rats. They published their study in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness.

• The research team obtained the extracts of ripe aidan fruits and quantified their phenolic compounds using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD).
• They evaluated the XO and Fe²⁺-induced lipid peroxidation inhibitory abilities of the extract using spectrophotometric methods.
• Gout is chronic inflammatory arthritis characterized by high levels of uric acid, also known as hyperuricemia. High uric acid levels result from the overactivity of XO.
• XO and Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation promotes oxidative stress and induce cell damage.
• The results showed that aidan fruit extract contains the following flavonoids: apigenin, catechin, epicatechin, luteolin, rutin, and quercetin.
• The extract also contains phenolic acids, such as gallic, chlorogenic, caffeic, and ellagic acids.
• These phenolic compounds are known to possess diverse health benefits, including anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.
• The results revealed that the extract inhibited XO in the kidney, liver, and lung tissues of rats in a dose-dependent pattern.
• XO inhibitors are used to treat hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis as they help reduce uric acid levels and oxidative stress.
• The extract also inhibited Fe²⁺-induced lipid peroxidation in a dose-dependent pattern.

These results indicate that aidan fruit extract could be a promising functional food for the prevention and treatment of hyperuricemia and its related conditions due to its ability to inhibit XO, which is attributable to the combined effect of its flavonoids and phenolic acids.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

To read more studies on aidan fruit and other functional foods for gout and hyperuricemia, visit FoodCures.news.

Journal Reference:

Irondi EA, Oboh G, Agboola SO, Boligon AA, Athayde ML. PHENOLICS EXTRACT OF TETRAPLEURA TETRAPTERA FRUIT INHIBITS XANTHINE OXIDASE AND FE2+-INDUCED LIPID PEROXIDATION IN THE KIDNEY, LIVER, AND LUNGS TISSUES OF RATS IN VITRO. Food Science and Human Wellness. March 2016; 5(1): 17-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.fshw.2015.11.001