Exploring Potential Treatments - Research Progress on Natural Product Alkaloids Against Gout

Gout is a metabolic rheumatic disease that can affect the kidneys and the cardiovascular system. With changes in lifestyle and dietary structure, the number of people with gout has been increasing annually, with a tendency toward younger patients. Owing to the limitations of first-line drugs for treating gout and non-standard medications, gout frequently recurs. Therefore, it is necessary to identify safe, effective, and long-term medications for the treatment of gout. Various alkaloids, including colchicines, are commonly used to treat gout. The anti-gout effect of alkaloids is mainly achieved through anti-inflammatory, uric acidlowering, and antioxidant actions involving different signaling pathways. At present, there is a lack of systematic reviews and summaries of research on alkaloids for the treatment of gout. In this review, we aimed to search and screen commonly used alkaloid treatments for gout and retrieve relevant experimental studies exploring the mechanisms by which these substances exert their effects. These results support the efficacy of some alkaloids in treating gout; however, translating these findings into clinical practice poses significant challenges. Systematic research in this area remains in the preliminary phase. The conclusion drawn is that natural product alkaloids can treat gout by regulating inflammatory responses and inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity. The findings suggest that natural product alkaloids are potential drug candidates for the treatment of gout.