Changes in serum concentration of uric acid and allantoin due to exhaustive treadmill exercise

Abstract

In recent years, there have been reports that uric acid has an antioxidative effect, producing allantoin in a non-enzymatic fashion by reacting with uric acid, as the level of active oxygen increases in the body. We analyzed the changes in the serum concentration of uric acid and allantoin in horses before and after exercise by subjecting horses to kinetic loads in exhaustive treadmill exercise. The uric acid value showed an increase until 60 min after the exhaustive exercise was completed, and declined after 120 min almost to the pre-exercise value. Concentration of allantoin increased after starting exercise, reached maximum values at 30-60 min, and then decreased. No significant difference in the allantoin-uric acid ratio was observed. This suggested that the increase in the allantoin level was closely associated with uric acid present before exercise as well as uric acid produced during exercise.