Uric acid lowering effect by ingestion of proteolytic digest of shark cartilage and its basic fraction

Abstract

Supplementing with proteolytic digest of shark cartilage (SCP) to give 1.5% and 2.5% in the diet significantly moderated hyperuricemia in rats induced by potassium oxonate in the diet. On the other hand, no significant effect was observed by a diet containing 2.5% proteolytic digest of cow cartilage. Hyperuricemia induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of potassium oxonate was also moderated by single ingestion of the proteolytic digest of shark cartilage in a dose-dependent manner. The proteolytic digest of shark cartilage was fractionated on the basis of the isoelectric point into acidic, weak acidic and basic fractions. Significant anti-hyperuricemic activity was observed only in the basic fraction, and ingestion of chondroitin sulfate free from protein, one of the major constituents of the digest, had no significant anti-hyperuricemic activity. Basic components, possibly peptide, might be responsible for anti-hyperuricemic activity in this rat model. © 2010, The Author(s) Journal compilation © 2010, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.