Anti-gout active ingredients from natural plant medicines and their related mechanisms

The earliest known treatise on "gout" is found in Hippocratic Corpus, which was regarded as the "disease of kings" in early Europe. In ancient China, gout was documented in medicine text "Suwen", where it was categorized under the classification of "bi syndrome". Throughout human history, a wide range of herbal medicines and natural remedies, such as colchicine, have been used in the treatment of gout.

Gouty arthritis (GA) requires long-term pharmacotherapy, underscoring the critical need for agents with minimal adverse effects. Natural products, known for their favorable safety profiles and multi-target therapeutic potential, represent a promising source for novel anti-gout strategies. This review provides the first comprehensive analysis and systematic categorization of plant extracts and monomeric compounds used against GA, summarizing their anti-gout effects and underlying mechanisms to support the development of safer and more effective treatment alternatives.

Literatures related to natural products in the treatment of GA from May 1, 1994 to May 9, 2025 were collected through PubMed, Web of Science and CNKI databases. After that, the anti-gout active ingredients and mechanism of action were systematically summarized and analyzed.

An analysis of 282 studies identified a total of 164 plant extracts, including 8 saponin extracts, 7 flavonoid extracts, 5 polyphenol extracts, 5 polysaccharide extracts, 2 alkaloid extracts, and 1 coumarin extract. Additionally, 148 anti-gout bioactive compounds were characterized, comprising 39 terpenoids, 5 saponins, 38 flavonoids, 12 phenylpropanoids, 25 phenols, 2 carbohydrates, 15 alkaloids, and 12 other constituents. These natural products exert their anti-gout effects through multiple mechanisms, which can be broadly categorized into seven primary pathways: reduction of uric acid levels, anti-inflammatory activity, antioxidant effects, modulation of signaling pathways, inhibition of neutrophil migration and activation, protection of joints and tissues, suppression of pyroptosis, and promotion of autophagy. Notably, terpenoids, polyphenols, and flavonoids emerge as the principal active components in GA treatment. Furthermore, key compounds with high druggability, such as ginsenosides and anemoside B4, demonstrate multi-target pharmacological effects.

This study presents the first comprehensive review and classification of natural plant extracts and monomeric compounds that alleviate GA. Additionally, it elucidates the mechanistic pathways underlying the anti-gout effects of these extracts and compounds, systematically categorizing and analyzing these mechanisms. The findings provide a foundational framework for developing multi-target therapeutic agents for GA and identify promising candidate compounds for future experimental validation and clinical application.