Abstract
Background: Hyperuricemia is the increased level of uric acid in blood. The occurrence of hyperuricemia is increasing day by day, worldwide. Medicines used for hyperuricemia show multiple side effects by damaging liver and kidneys. Now a days, focus is increasing towards herbal medicines and nutraceuticals. Amla and milk thistle are nutrient dense foods with medicinal benefits. Such type of foods can be used to reduce hyperuricemia and gout naturally.
Aim: This study has been carried out to evaluate the medicinal effect of amla and milk thistle, individually and synergistically, in potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricemic rat model.
Materials and Methods: For phase-I, amla fruit and milk thistle seeds were purchased from local market of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. After processing, amla fruit and milk thistle seeds were grounded into fine powder. Proximate analysis, total polyphenols and ascorbic acid content were determined of both powders. For phase-II (in-vivo experiment), 36 albino male rats (250-300 g) acclimatized and then divided into 6 groups having 6 rats in each group. Group I, II and III were normal control, positive control and negative control groups. Group IV, V and VI were treatment groups. All the groups were given potassium oxonate (250 mg/kg/day) intra-peritoneally to induce hyperuricemia in them except Group I. Group III, IV, V and VI were administered allopurinol (5mg/kg), amla fruit powder (300mg/kg), milk thistle seed powder (300mg/kg) and combined dose of amla and milk thistle (150+150 mg/kg) orally. All the treatments were given after 1h of injecting potassium oxonate daily for 15 consecutive days. On day 15, animals were slaughtered and blood samples were preserved for testing. The serum levels of uric acid, creatinine, ALT and bilirubin were measured using commercially available kits according to recommendations of manufacturers. Statistical analysis was performed by applying analysis of variance (ANOVA) through SPSS and significance of differences was determined at the level of ƥ< 0.05.
Results: Proximate analysis determined the high amount of moisture (10.26%), ash (4.28%), fiber (9.12%) and carbohydrates (68.74%) in amla and milk thistle contains significantly high protein (21.78%) and fat (18.46%) content than amla. Between two powders, Total polyphenols (31.10 mg GAE/ g of extract) and Total flavonoids (21.06 mg QE/ g of extract) contents were high in milk thistle seed powder. But amla contains significantly high Vitamin C content (159.05 mg/100g) than milk thistle seed powder (29.16 mg/100g). At the end of study, rats of PO group-III showed significantly high levels of serum uric acid, creatinine, ALT except bilirubin. On the other hand, treatments given to rats of group III, IV, V and VI showed significant reduction in kidney and liver parameters.
Conclusion: Oral administration of amla fruit and milk thistle seeds for 15 days has reduced serum uric acid levels along with creatinine, ALT and bilirubin. It is recommended that therapeutic potential of amla and milk thistle should be further tested and used for the treatment of hyperuricemia, gout and other diseases in varying doses individually and synergistically