In vitro Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitory Studies of Lippia nodiflora and Isolated Flavonoids and Phenylethanoid Glycosides as Potential Uric Acid-lowering Agents

Abstract

Lippia nodiflora has been traditionally used for treatment of knee joint pain. Hitherto, no studies have been reported on the effective use of L. nodiflora against hyperuricemia, gout or other metabolic disorders. In this present study, L. nodiflora was examined for its ability to lower uric acid levels using an in vitro xanthine oxidase inhibitory assay. The whole plant methanolic extract was subjected to bioactivity-guided fractionation to yield 4 fractions (F1–F4). F3 displayed the highest potency and was further purified by column chromatography to afford two phenylethanoid glycosides, arenarioside (1) and verbascoside (2), and three flavonoids, 6-hydroxyluteolin (3), 6-hydroxyluteolin-7-O-glycoside (4), and nodifloretin (5). These compounds inhibited xanthine oxidase activity, with IC₅₀ values between 7.52 ± 0.01 and 130.00 ± 2.25 μM, of which 3 was the most potent. In contrast, allopurinol, serving as a positive control, was 0.22 ± 0.00 μM. Thus, L. nodiflora, and its chemical constituents are worthy of further studies as potential anti-hyperuricemic agents.