Tuna extract reduces serum uric acid in gout-free subjects with insignificantly high serum uric acid: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Abstract. Long-term reduction of serum urate levels is vital in the treatment of gout. However, it is difficult to convince gout-free individuals of the necessity of treatment as few appropriate over-the-counter remedies and dietary supplements are available. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the antihyperuricemic efficacy and safety of a tuna extract containing the imidazole compounds to evaluate its potential as a functional food ingredient. A randomized, 4-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted. A total of 48 male gout-free subjects with insignificantly high serum uric acid were randomly assigned to low-and high-dose tuna extract groups or a placebo group. The efficacy of the extract was assessed by measuring serum uric acid levels. Furthermore, a safety assessment was performed by physical parameters, hematology, blood biochemistry and urinalysis. The results indicated that the uric acid level was decreased at week 4 during the intervention in the tuna extract groups (low and high dose, -0.23 and -0.34 mg/dl, respectively) compared to the placebo group (-0.07 mg/dl). At week 4 after the intervention, a significant reduction in uric acid levels (-0.41 mg/dl; P<0.05) was observed in the high-dose tuna extract group compared with the placebo group (+0.11 mg/dl). No dose-related adverse events were observed during and following the intervention. Therefore, the present results suggest that oral administration of tuna extract containing the imidazole compounds has hypouricemic activity with no undesirable side effects.

Safety Evaluation of Natural Drugs in Chronic Skeletal Disorders: A Literature Review of Clinical Trials in the Past 20 years

“…Meanwhile, only 23.0% of patients treated with low doses of colchicine developed diarrhoea. Kubomura, D et al (Kubomura et al, 2016) conducted 4-weeks RCTs to investigate the efficacy and safety of tuna (belongs to the Thunnini tribe and is a subgroup of the Scombridae family) extracts containing imidazole compounds in antihyperuricaemia treatment. Forty-eight males without gout but with slightly high levels of serum uric acid were randomized into the low-dose (supplement dose of 238.6 mg/d) and highdose (supplement dose of 477.1 mg/d) tuna extract groups or the placebo group.…”

Evaluation of the Effects of a Supplement Composed by Quercetin, Rutin, Bromelain and L-Carnosine in Patients with Borderline Uricemia

“…Recently, the anti-hyperuricemic effect of carnosine was evaluated in a group of males with plasma uric acid levels ranging from 6.5 to 8.0 mg/dl and not affected by gout. The study showed that 4 weeks administration of a food supplement containing carnosine at two different doses significantly reduced uricemia, suggesting that this nutraceutical yields benefits and is safe for individuals with high uric acid plasma levels without complications [44]. The safety of carnosine intake was evaluated in studies on animal models and in humans in which neither adverse events nor abnormalities in routine clinical examinations were reported [45,46].…”

Dietary Interventions for Gout and Effect on Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review

“…After 8 weeks, the SUA level insignificantly increased (+0.31 mg/dL, p > 0.05) in subjects with gout and significantly decreased in the group with asymptomatic hyperuricemia (−0.78 mg/dL, p < 0.05). Kubomura et al (2016) conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled study investigating the effect of tuna extract on SUA in subjects with asymptomatic hyperuricemia [30]. The rationale behind this supplementation was that imidazole compounds, as found in tuna extract, might affect the acidity of body fluids, renal functions, and organic acid levels associated with reabsorption of urate in the glycolytic pathway.…”