Hyperuricemia induced by the uricosuric drug probenecid in rats

Stimulation of uric acid production by the well-known uricosuric drug probenecid was studied using potassium oxonate-treated rats and eviscerated rats subjected to functional hepatectomy. In oxonate-treated rats, probenecid was hyperuricosuric, increasing the glomerular-filtered amounts of uric acid and causing marked hyperuricemia. This could be completely blocked by combination dosing with allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. In eviscerated rats subjected to functional hepatectomy, probenecid also increased plasma uric acid and urinary uric acid excretion, but when given together with allopurinol, the increase of plasma uric acid was abolished with a remarkable increase of plasma hypoxanthine and xanthine. When probenecid was given by combination dosing with propranolol, a beta adrenoceptor antagonist, the hyperuricemia was also completely blocked. Thus, probenecid is concluded to stimulate uric acid production, probably via some interaction with endogenous catecholamine, resulting in hyperuricemia in rats, although it is a practical hypouricemic drug in humans.