Abstract: Objective: To investigate the effects of saikosaponin D on the level of uric acid and related enzyme activity in rats with
hyperuricemia. Methods: Saicosaponin D was dissolved in 0.9% sodium chloride solution to prepare 5, 10, and 20 mg/mL solutions.
Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into a control group, a model group, and high, medium and low-dose groups of sausaponin D.
Except for the control group, the remaining rats were administrated with adenine 0.2 g/kg + ethambutol 0.25 g/kg every morning to
establish a hyperuricemia model. The rats in the drug groups were administrated intragastrically at a dose of 10 mL/kg, while the rats in
the control and model groups were administrated intragastrically with the same dosage of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. The levels of
serum uric acid, urinary uric acid, xanthine oxidase （XOD）, adenosine deaminase （ADA）, creatinine and urea nitrogen were detected
before administration as well as 14, 21 and 28 days after administration. Results: On the 21st day after administration, the serum uric
acid level in the model group rats significantly increased. Compared with the model group, the serum uric acid level of rats in the
medium-dose group of saikosaponin D significantly decreased with statistical significance （P<0.05）. On the 28th day after
administration, the serum uric acid level of rats in the high-dose and medium-dose groups significantly decreased, and the urinary uric
acid level of rats in the medium-dose and low-dose groups also decreased significantly. The levels of ADA、XOD、creatinine and urea
nitrogen in all rats of each measurement group of chainu sausaponin D were significantly decreased, and the differences were
statistically significant （P<0.05）. Conclusion: Saikosaponin D can inhibit the production of uric acid by reducing the levels of ADA
and XOD, and play a role in lowering uric acid, which has significant renal protective function.

Key words: hyperuricemia, saikosaponin D, adenosine deaminase, xanthine oxidase