Quercetin decreases the antinociceptive effect of diclofenac in an arthritic gout-pain model in rats

Integrative multi-target analysis of Urtica dioica for gout arthritis treatment: a network pharmacology and clustering approach

Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) has been traditionally used in Chinese medicine for the treatment of joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis. This study aims to elucidate the active compounds and mechanisms by which it acts against gout arthritis (GA). Gout-related genes were identified from the DisGeNet, GeneCards, and OMIM databases. These genes may play a role in inhibiting corresponding proteins targeted by the active compounds identified from the literature, which have an oral bioavailability of ≥ 30% and a drug-likeness score of ≥ 0.18. A human protein-protein interaction network was constructed, resulting in sixteen clusters containing plant-targeted genes, including ABCG2, SLC22A12, MAP2K7, ADCY10, RELA, and TP53. The key bioactive compounds, apigenin-7-O-glucoside and kaempferol, demonstrated significant binding to SLC22A12 and ABCG2, suggesting their potential to reduce uric acid levels and inflammation. Pathway enrichment analysis further identified key metabolic pathways involved, highlighting a dual mechanism of anti-inflammatory and urate-lowering effects. These findings underscore the potential of U. dioica in targeting multiple pathways involved in GA, combining traditional medicine with modern pharmacology. This integrated approach provides a foundation for future research and the development of multi-target therapeutic strategies for managing gout arthritis.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-024-00254-9.

A review on benefits of quercetin in hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis

Hyperuricemia becomes a public health problem worldwide. It is not only a major risk factor for gout but also associated with the development of life-threatening diseases such as chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases. Although there are several available therapeutic drugs, some serious adverse effects and contraindications are concerned. These drive the search for an alternative therapy that is effective and safe. Quercetin is of particular interesting since it has been reported numerous pharmacological activities, especially anti-hyperuricemia, antioxidant, anti-inflammation and amelioration of metabolic syndromes and cardiovascular diseases which are comorbidities of hyperuricemia and gout. In addition, quercetin has been widely used as a health supplement for many diseases however, the use for hyperuricemia and gout has not been indicated. Therefore, this review aims to gather and summarize published data regarding the efficacy in preclinical and clinical studies along with possible mechanism of action, and safety aspect of quercetin in order to support the use of quercetin as a dietary supplement for prevention and management of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis and/or use as alternative or combination therapy to minimize the side effects of the conventional drugs.