abstract
| - Uric acid is a by-product of the breakdown of a type of protein called purines, which are commonly found in organ meats and some fish. It is generally excreted in the urine, but high dietary purine consumption and some metabolic disorders can cause it to build up in the body. Abnormally high and low levels of uric acid in the blood are not indicative of any particular disease, but can play a role in some diseases. The most common disease caused by high uric acid levels is gout. However, high uric acid levels are also typical of people with diabetes mellitus. When it crystallizes in the urine, it is a common cause of kidney stones. Low uric acid levels are common in multiple sclerosis.
- Lower serum values of uric acid have been associated with Multiple Sclerosis [12]. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have been found to have serum levels ~194µmol/L, with patients in relapse averaging ~160µmol/L and patients in remission averaging ~230µmol/L. Serum uric acid in healthy controls was ~290µmol/L. [13] (1mg/dL=59.48 µmol/L)[14] A 1998 study completed a statistical analysis of 20 million patient records, comparing serum uric acid values in patients with gout and patients with multiple sclerosis. Almost no overlap between the groups was found [15]. Uric acid has been successfully used in the treatment and prevention of the animal (murine) model of MS. A 2006 study found that elevation of serum uric acid values in multiple sclerosis patients, by oral supplementation with inosine, resulted in lower relapse rates, and no adverse effects. [16]
* Oxidative Stress
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* Like other strong reducing substances such as ascorbate, uric acid can also act as a prooxidant, particularly at elevated levels.
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