The anti-hyperuricemic effect of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on hyperuricemic mice

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major constituent of green tea catechin, has been used for antioxidant. This study aimed to evaluate the antihyperuricemic activity of EGCG on hyperuricemic mice. We demonstrated that serum uric acid (UA) level was decreased significantly with dose-dependence by EGCG treated with 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg. Compared with the model, data on blood urea nitrogen (BUN) supported that there was significance with high dose of EGCG (50 mg/kg). Levels of serum creatinine (Cr) in each EGCG-treated group were decreased but not significant; the activities of hepatic xanthine oxidase (XOD) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in high dose groups' EGCG were notably lower than those of model group. EGCG could downregulate the renal mRNA expression levels of glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9) and urate transporter 1 (URAT1) on hyperuricemic mice. These results presented that EGCG had obvious hypouricemic and renal protective effects on hyperuricemic mice. Our data may have a potential value in clinical practice in the treatment of hyperuricemia.