Science

Shijun Hao, Chunlei Zhang, and Haiyan Song

This review aims to put forth an overview of natural products reducing uric acid level with hepatorenal dual effects. The prevalence of hyperuricemia increased rapidly in recent years and has closely interdependent relationship with other metabolic disorders. Current therapeutically used drugs including a few uricostatic and uricosuric chemical drugs are proved efficient to control serum uric acid level. However, their side effects as well as contraindication in some cases with liver, kidney injury, or other conditions frequently limit their clinic application. More attention thus has been paid to natural products as an alternative means in treating hyperuricemia. Many natural products have been proved efficient in downregulating uric acid level, among which some can improve hyperuricemia with hepatorenal dual effects. It means these natural products can regulate both the production and the excretion of uric acid by targeting the key metabolic enzymes mainly in liver or uric acid transporters in kidneys. Thus, these natural products could have stronger efficacy and broader application, which may be developed for the treatment of hyperuricemia in clinic.