Abstract

Background: Hyperuricemia and diseases related to hyperuricemia have been recognized among Filipinos in different countries. Diseases related to hyperuricemia such as gout and increased risks of cardiovascular diseases have given an avenue for methods on lowering uric acid levels. Aims and Objectives: Manilkara zapota, commonly known as Chico, has been reported to have the potential to reduce the uric acid level and thus was tested using aqueous leaf extracts of the plant.

Materials and Methods: The plant was administered at a low dose of 1g/kg body weight (BW) and a high dose of 3g/kg BW on 10–16-week-old male ICR mice for 28 days. Three control groups were used for comparison of results: The sham group was administered with sterile distilled water and was not treated with KBrO3, a positive control group was administered with ascorbic acid instead of the leaf extract and was treated with KBrO3, and a negative control group was administered with sterile water and was also treated with KBrO3. Hyperuricemia was induced using KBrO3 on the last day to detect for uric acid lowering activity.

Results: Analysis shows that the negative control group had the highest mean of uric acid levels after hyperuricemia induction resulting to a significant difference from among the other groups. The mean uric acid levels of the groups treated with the leaf extract and ascorbic acid after hyperuricemia induction did not have any significant difference from each other.

Conclusion: There is a urate-lowering activity from Manilkara zapota aqueous leaf extracts that are possibly due to the presence of flavonoids.

Key words: Anti-uricemic; Blood Uric Acid; Manilkara zapota; Mus musculus