Effect of oral fructose administration on alchohol-induced increase in plasma urate

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Oral fructose administration has been demonstrated to stimulate the oxidation of alcohol. However, its influence on alcohol-induced hyperuricemia is yet to be documented. This study therefore, reports the effect of fructose on alcohol- induced increase in plasma urate in adult albino rabbits. Twelve male adult albino rabbits, divided into A, B and C experimental groups were purchased from Yoha Farms, Warri, Delta State. Group A, the control animals (n=4) were given normal saline, while Group B animals (n=4) orally received 1.5 g (40%) ethanol/kg body weight as single daily dose for a routine period of fifteen weeks. Group C rabbits (n=4) were treated in a similar manner but 0.25 g fructose/kg body weight was usually given after about 10 min of administering the ethanol dose. The results obtained show that ethanol administration significantly increased (P<0.05) serum urate by 57.8% at the end of the 15-week treatment period but the serum urate levels for the ethanol + fructose-treated animals only increased by 10.6%, an increase that was not statistically significant at the 5% probability level. The stimulation of alcohol oxidative metabolism by fructose may not be accompanied by a threatening increase in serum urate, the aetiologic risk factor of gout, renal calculi and hypertension. Albeit, similar study designed for humans is needful in order to determine the suitability of animal model for predicting the possible human effect(s).

Key words/phrases: Alcohol, fructose, plasma, urate

SINET: Ethiopian Journal of Science Vol. 29 (2) 2006: pp. 183-185