Test of Antihyperuricemia Activity of Methanol Extract of Plantain Peel (Musa Paradisiaca Var. Sapientum) Against Caffeine- Induced Mice (Mus Musculus)

Abstract

The accumulation of uric acid leads to joint pain, discomfort, and inflammation, making movement painful. 1 Currently, allopurinol is a prevalent pharmacological treatment for hyperuricemia, aimed at reducing uric acid levels. 2 However, this drug can cause side effects such as upper respiratory infections, diarrhea, headaches, nausea, and vomiting, which are considered adverse effects of its use. 3 Beyond synthetic drugs, natural ingredients are increasingly utilized in alternative medicine to lower uric acid levels. 4 In Indonesia, thousands of plant species and natural materials are employed for healing and disease prevention, often referred to as traditional medicinal plants, due to their minimal side effects compared to synthetic drugs. Among these, parts of the banana plant, specifically Musa acuminata colla, are recognized for their beneficial compounds like flavonoids. 5 Commonly, only the fruit of banana plants is used, while other parts like the peel, stem, leaves, roots, and midribs are often discarded. However, plantain peels, known for their high levels of phenolic compounds compared to the fruit's flesh, are gaining attention. 6 According to Lopes et al. 7 , plantain peels are rich in secondary metabolites such as flavonoids, saponins, terpenoids, polyphenols, and tannins. These compounds, particularly flavonoids and alkaloids, are believed to inhibit xanthine oxidase and superoxide, thereby reducing uric acid levels in the blood. 8,9 According to Agama et al 10 ., plantain contains various flavonoids and related compounds including quercetin, leukosianidin, 3-O-galactoside, 3-O-glucoside, and 3-O-rhamnosyl glucoside. Studies exploring the inhibitory effects of flavonoids on xanthine oxidase, such as those conducted by Hu et al. 11 and Huang et al. 12 , have shown that the flavonoids quercetin and rutin effectively inhibit the xanthine oxidase enzyme, thereby reducing uric acid levels in the blood. Further research by Kibria et al. 13 revealed that banana peel extract contains phytochemicals like saponins, polyphenols, tannins, flavonoids, and terpenoids. The pharmacological properties of plantain peel, including antibacterial, antihyperglycemic, anti-hyperlipidemia, and antioxidant activities, are believed to originate from its compound content, such as alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. Phytochemical tests on methanol fractions have shown positive results for flavonoids. 14 Plantain peel is comprised of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, phenols, and tannins, all of which serve as antioxidants. Phenols, in particular, are secondary metabolites in plants known for their therapeutic effects such as antimutagenic, antioxidant, anticarcinogenic activities, free radical scavenging, and reduction of cardiovascular complications. The research conducted by Sitti Raudhotul Jami'ah et al. 15