The effect of resveratrol on the recurrent attacks of gouty arthritis.

Gouty arthritis is characterized by inflammation induced by monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition, which is resulted by an increase of serum urate concentration. The management of gout, especially the recurrent acute attacks of chronic gouty arthritis, is still a problem to be resolved. In this study, we aimed to develop the preventive and therapeutic effect of resveratrol on gouty arthritis. MSU was used to induce gouty arthritis in the foot pad of C57BL/6 mice. Yeast polysaccharide and potassium oxonate were used to induce hyperuricemia in Kunming mice. Resveratrol was intraperitoneal injected to the mice in the treatment group. The pad inflammation and the level of serum uric acid were investigated to estimate the effect of resveratrol in gouty arthritis. Hyperuricemia was significantly detected in the mice treated with yeast polysaccharide and potassium oxonate, and gouty arthritis was successfully induced with MSU in mice. We further identified that resveratrol inhibited pad swelling and pad 99mTc uptake in gouty mice. Moreover, serum uric acid level was also decreased by resveratrol in hyperuricemia mice. This study highlighted that resveratrol might be applied to prevent the recurrent acute attack of gouty arthritis because of its inhibition of articular inflammation and down-regulation of serum uric acid.