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Uric acid (or urate) is an organic compound
Organic compound

An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered Inorganic compound....
 of carbon
Carbon

Carbon is a chemical element with chemical symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalence?making four electrons available to form covalent bond chemical bonds....
, nitrogen
Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N and atomic number 7 and atomic mass 14.00674?. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78% by volume of Earth's atmosphere....
, oxygen
Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
 and hydrogen
Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the chemical symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly combustion and explosive Diatomic molecule gas with the molecular formula H2....
 with the formula C5H4N4O3.

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Uric acid

Uric acid is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3....
 is produced by xanthine oxidase
Xanthine oxidase

The enzyme xanthine oxidase, or XO, catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and can further catalyze the oxidation of xanthine to uric acid....
 from xanthine
Xanthine

Xanthine , , is a purine base found in most body tissues and fluids and in other organisms. A number of mild stimulants are derived from xanthine, including caffeine and theobromine....
 and hypoxanthine
Hypoxanthine

Hypoxanthine is a naturally occurring purine derivative. It is occasionally found as a constituent of nucleic acids where it is present in the anticodon of tRNA in the form of its nucleoside inosine....
, which in turn are produced from purine
Purine

Purine is a heterocyclic compound aromatic organic compound, consisting of a pyrimidine ring fused to an imidazole ring. Purines, including substituted purines and their tautomers, are the most widely distributed kind of nitrogen-containing heterocycle in nature....
. Uric acid is more toxic to tissues than either xanthine or hypoxanthine.

In humans and higher primates, uric acid is the final oxidation (breakdown) product of purine metabolism
Purine metabolism

Many organisms have metabolic pathways to synthesize and break down purines....
 and is excreted in urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
.






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Uric acid (or urate) is an organic compound
Organic compound

An organic compound is any member of a large class of chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of compounds such as carbonates, simple oxides of carbon and cyanides, as well as the allotropes of carbon, are considered Inorganic compound....
 of carbon
Carbon

Carbon is a chemical element with chemical symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalence?making four electrons available to form covalent bond chemical bonds....
, nitrogen
Nitrogen

Nitrogen is a chemical element that has the symbol N and atomic number 7 and atomic mass 14.00674?. Elemental nitrogen is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and mostly inert diatomic gas at standard conditions, constituting 78% by volume of Earth's atmosphere....
, oxygen
Oxygen

Oxygen no O2 produced; 2) O2 produced, but absorbed in oceans & seabed rock; 3) O2 starts to gas out of the oceans, but is absorbed by land surfaces and formation of ozone layer; 4-5) O2 sinks filled and the gas accumulates]]...
 and hydrogen
Hydrogen

Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the chemical symbol H. At standard temperature and pressure, hydrogen is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly combustion and explosive Diatomic molecule gas with the molecular formula H2....
 with the formula C5H4N4O3.

Biology

Uric acid
Uric acid

Uric acid is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3....
 is produced by xanthine oxidase
Xanthine oxidase

The enzyme xanthine oxidase, or XO, catalyzes the oxidation of hypoxanthine to xanthine and can further catalyze the oxidation of xanthine to uric acid....
 from xanthine
Xanthine

Xanthine , , is a purine base found in most body tissues and fluids and in other organisms. A number of mild stimulants are derived from xanthine, including caffeine and theobromine....
 and hypoxanthine
Hypoxanthine

Hypoxanthine is a naturally occurring purine derivative. It is occasionally found as a constituent of nucleic acids where it is present in the anticodon of tRNA in the form of its nucleoside inosine....
, which in turn are produced from purine
Purine

Purine is a heterocyclic compound aromatic organic compound, consisting of a pyrimidine ring fused to an imidazole ring. Purines, including substituted purines and their tautomers, are the most widely distributed kind of nitrogen-containing heterocycle in nature....
. Uric acid is more toxic to tissues than either xanthine or hypoxanthine.

In humans and higher primates, uric acid is the final oxidation (breakdown) product of purine metabolism
Purine metabolism

Many organisms have metabolic pathways to synthesize and break down purines....
 and is excreted in urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
. In most other mammals, the enzyme uricase further oxidizes uric acid to allantoin
Allantoin

Allantoin is a chemical compound with formula C4H6N4O3. It is also called 5-ureidohydantoin or glyoxyldiureide....
. The loss of uricase in higher primates parallels the similar loss of the ability to synthesize ascorbic acid
Vitamin C

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is an essential nutrient for humans, a large number of simian species, a small number of other mammalian species , a few species of birds, and some fish....
. Both uric acid and ascorbic acid are strong reducing agent
Reducing agent

A reducing agent is the element or compound in a redox reaction that reduces another Chemical species. In doing so, it becomes oxidized, and is therefore the electron donor in the redox....
s (electron donor
Electron donor

An electron donor is a chemical entity that donates electrons to another compound. It is a reducing agent that, by virtue of its donating electrons, is itself oxidized in the process....
s) and potent antioxidant
Antioxidant

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the Redox of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent....
s. In humans, over half the antioxidant capacity of blood plasma
Blood plasma

Blood plasma is the liquid component of blood, in which the blood cells are suspended. It makes up about 55% of total blood volume. It is composed of mostly water , and contains dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, Hormone and carbon dioxide ....
 comes from uric acid.

The Dalmatian dog
Dalmatian (dog)

The Dalmatian is a dog breed originating from Dalmatia, a historical region of Croatia. It is noted for its white coat with either black or liver spots....
 has a genetic defect in uric acid uptake by the liver
Liver

The liver is a vital organ present in vertebrates and some other animals; it has a wide range of functions, a few of which are detoxification, protein synthesis, and production of biochemicals necessary for digestion....
, resulting in decreased conversion to allantoin
Allantoin

Allantoin is a chemical compound with formula C4H6N4O3. It is also called 5-ureidohydantoin or glyoxyldiureide....
, so this breed excretes uric acid, and not allantoin, in the urine.

In bird
Bird

Birds are wing, Bipedalismal, endothermic , vertebrate animals that lay egg . There are around 10,000 living species, making them the most numerous tetrapod vertebrates....
s and reptile
Reptile

Reptiles, or members of the class Reptilia, are air-breathing, cold-blooded vertebrates that have skin covered in scale as opposed to hair or feathers....
s, and in some desert dwelling mammals (eg kangaroo rat
Kangaroo rat

Kangaroo rats, genus Dipodomys, are small rodents native to North America. The name derives from their bipedal form: they hop like tiny kangaroos....
), uric acid also is the end product of purine metabolism, but it is excreted in feces
Feces

Feces, faeces, or f?ces is a waste product from an animal's gastrointestinal tract expelled through the anus during defecation....
 as a dry mass. This involves a complex metabolic pathway
Metabolic pathway

In biochemistry, a metabolic pathway is a series of chemistry reactions occurring within a cell . In each pathway, a principal chemical is modified by chemical reactions....
 that is energetically costly in comparison to processing of other nitrogenous wastes such as urea
Urea

Urea is an organic compound with the chemical formula 2carbonoxygen.Urea is also known by the International Nonproprietary Name carbamide, as established by the World Health Organization....
 or ammonia
Ammonia

Ammonia is a chemical compound with the chemical formula nitrogenhydrogen. It is normally encountered as a gas with a characteristic pungent odor....
, but has the advantage of reducing water
Water

Water is a common chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of life. In typical usage, water refers only to its liquid form or States of matter, but the substance also has a solid state, ice, and a gaseous state, water vapor or steam....
 loss.

In humans, about 70% of daily uric acid disposal occurs via the kidneys, and in 5-25% of humans impaired renal (kidney) excretion leads to hyperuricemia.

Genetics

A proportion of people have mutations in the proteins responsible for the excretion of uric acid
Uric acid

Uric acid is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3....
 by the kidneys. Four genes have so far been identified: SLC22A12
SLC22A12

Solute carrier family 22 , member 12, also known as SLC22A12 and URAT1, is a protein which in humans is encoded by the SLC22A12 gene....
, SLC2A9
SLC2A9

Solute carrier family 2 , member 9, also known as SLC2A9, is a human gene.SLC2A9 has also recently been found to transport uric acid, and genetic variants of the transporter have been linked to increased risk of development of both hyperuricemia and gout....
, ABCG2
Abcg2

ABCG2 is a member of the ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter family of transmembrane, substrate-effluxing proteins. Other names for ABGC2 have included BCRP , MXR , and CD338....
 and SLC17A3). SLC2A9 is known to transport both uric acid and fructose
Fructose

Fructose is a simple Reducing sugar sugar found in many foods and is one of the three important dietary monosaccharides along with glucose and galactose....
.

Medicine

In human blood plasma
Blood plasma

Blood plasma is the liquid component of blood, in which the blood cells are suspended. It makes up about 55% of total blood volume. It is composed of mostly water , and contains dissolved proteins, glucose, clotting factors, mineral ions, Hormone and carbon dioxide ....
, the reference range of uric acid is between 3.6 mg/dL (~214µmol/L) and 8.3 mg/dL (~494µmol/L) (1mg/dL=59.48 µmol/L). This range is considered normal by the American Medical Association
American Medical Association

The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated 1897, is the largest association of physicians and medical students in the United States....
. Uric acid concentrations in blood plasma above and below the normal range are known, respectively, as hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia is a level of uric acid in the blood that is abnormally high. In humans, the upper end of the normal range is 360 ?mol/L for women and 400 ?mol/L for men....
 and hypouricemia
Hypouricemia

Hypouricemia is a level of uric acid in blood serum that is below normal. In humans, the normal range of this blood component has a lower threshold set variously in the range of 2 mg/dL to 4 mg/dL, while the upper threshold is 530 micromol/L for women and 619 micromol/L for men....
. Similarly, uric acid concentrations in urine
Urine

Urine is a liquid waste product of the body secreted by the kidneys by a process of filtration from blood called urination and excreted through the urethra....
 above and below normal are known as hyperuricosuria
Hyperuricosuria

Hyperuricosuria is a medical term referring to the presence of excessive amounts of uric acid in the urine. Notable direct causes of hyperuricosuria are dissolution of uric acid crystals in the kidneys or urinary bladder, and hyperuricemia....
 and hypouricosuria. Such abnormal concentrations of uric acid are not medical conditions, but are associated with a variety of medical conditions.

High uric acid


Gout

Excess serum accumulation of uric acid can lead to a type of arthritis
Arthritis

Arthritis is a group of conditions involving damage to the joints of the body. Arthritis is the leading cause of disability in people older than fifty-five years....
 known as gout
Gout

Gout is a crystal deposition disease hallmarked by elevated levels of uric acid in the Circulatory system. In this condition, crystals of monosodium urate or uric acid are deposited on the articular cartilage of joints, tendons and surrounding tissues....
.

Elevated serum uric acid (hyperuricemia
Hyperuricemia

Hyperuricemia is a level of uric acid in the blood that is abnormally high. In humans, the upper end of the normal range is 360 ?mol/L for women and 400 ?mol/L for men....
) can result from high intake of purine-rich foods, high fructose
Fructose

Fructose is a simple Reducing sugar sugar found in many foods and is one of the three important dietary monosaccharides along with glucose and galactose....
 intake (regardless of fructose's low glycemic index
Glycemic index

The Glycemic index or GI is a measure of the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down rapidly during digestion releasing glucose rapidly into the bloodstream have a high GI; carbohydrates that break down slowly, releasing glucose gradually into the bloodstream, have a low GI....
 (GI) value) and/or impaired excretion by the kidneys. Saturation levels of uric acid in blood may result in one form of kidney stone
Kidney stone

Kidney stones, also called renal Calculus , are solid concretions of dissolved dietary mineral in urine; calculi typically form inside the kidneys or bladder....
s when the urate crystallizes in the kidney. These uric acid stones are radiolucent and so do not appear on an abdominal plain x-ray
X-ray

X-radiation is a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have a wavelength in the range of 10 to 0.01 nanometers, corresponding to frequency in the range 30 Hertz to 30 Hertz and energies in the range 120 Electron volt to 120 keV....
 or CT scan
Computed tomography

Computed tomography is a medical imaging method employing tomography. Geometry Processing is used to generate a stereoscopy of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation....
. Their presence must be diagnosed by ultrasound for this reason. Very large stones may be detected on x-ray by their displacement of the surrounding kidney tissues. Some patients with gout eventually get uric kidney stones.

Gout can occur where serum uric acid levels are as low as 6 mg/dL (~357µmol/L), but an individual can have serum values as high as 9.5 mg/dL (~565µmol/L) and not have gout (no abstract available; levels reported at ).

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome
Lesch-Nyhan syndrome

Lesch-Nyhan syndrome , also known as Nyhan?s syndrome or Kelley-Seegmiller syndrome, is a rare, inherited disorder caused by a deficiency of the enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase , produced by mutations in the HPRT gene....
, an extremely rare inherited disorder, is also associated with very high serum uric acid levels.

Spasticity, involuntary movement and cognitive retardation as well as manifestations of gout are seen in cases of this syndrome.

Cardiovascular disease

Although uric acid can act as an antioxidant, excess serum accumulation is often associated with cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease or cardiovascular diseases refers to the class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels . While the term technically refers to any disease that affects the Circulatory system , it is usually used to refer to those related to atherosclerosis ....
. It is not known whether this is causative (e.g., by acting as a prooxidant ) or a protective reaction taking advantage of urate's antioxidant properties.
Diabetes

The association of high serum uric acid with insulin resistance
Insulin resistance

Insulin resistance is the condition in which normal amounts of insulin are inadequate to produce a normal Insulin#Physiological_effects from fat, muscle and liver cell ....
 has been known since the early part of the 20th century, nevertheless, recognition of high serum uric acid as a risk factor for diabeteshas been a matter of debate. In fact, hyperuricemia has always been presumed to be a consequence of insulin resistance rather than its precursor . However, it was shown in a prospective follow-up study that high serum uric acid is associated with higher risk of type 2 diabetes independent of obesity
Obesity

Obesity is a condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to an extent that health may be negatively affected. It is commonly defined as a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher....
, dyslipidemia
Dyslipidemia

Dyslipidemia is a disruption in the amount of lipids in the blood.In western societies, most dyslipidemias are hyperlipidemias; that is, an elevation of lipids in the blood, often due to diet and lifestyle....
, and hypertension
Hypertension

Hypertension, also referred to as high blood pressure, HTN or HPN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated....
 .

Metabolic syndrome

Hyperuricemia is associated with components of metabolic syndrome and it has been debated for a while to be a component of it. It has been shown in a recent study that fructose-induced hyperuricemia may play a pathogenic role in the metabolic syndrome. This agrees with the increased consumption of fructose-base drinks in recent decades and the epidemic of diabetes and obesity .

Uric acid stone formation

Uric acid stones
Kidney stone

Kidney stones, also called renal Calculus , are solid concretions of dissolved dietary mineral in urine; calculi typically form inside the kidneys or bladder....
, which form in the absence of secondary causes such as chronic diarrhea
Diarrhea

In medicine, diarrhea, also spelled diarrhoea , is characterized by frequent loose or liquid bowel movements. The spelling of "diarrhea" is an appropriation of the Greek "diarrhoia" meaning "a flowing through." ....
, vigorous exercise, dehydration
Dehydration

Dehydration is the removal of water from an object. In Physiology terms, it entails a relative deficiency of water molecules in relation to other dissolved solutes....
, and animal protein loading, are felt to be secondary to obesity and insulin resistance seen in metabolic syndrome. Increased dietary acid leads to increased endogenous acid production in the liver and muscles which in turn leads to an increased acid load to the kidneys. This load is handled more poorly because of renal fat infiltration and insulin resistance which are felt to impair ammonia excretion (a buffer). The urine is therefore quite acidic and uric acid becomes insoluble, crystallizes and stones form. In addition, naturally present promotor and inhibitor factors may be affected. This explains the high prevalence of uric stones and unusually acid urine seen in patients with type 2 diabetes. Uric acid crystals can also promote the formation of calcium oxalate
Calcium oxalate

Calcium oxalate is a chemical compound that forms needle-shaped crystals. Its chemical formula is CaC2O4 or Ca2....
 stones, acting as "seed crystals" (heterogenous nucleation
Nucleation

Nucleation is the onset of a crystal in a small region. The phase transition can be the formation of a bubble or of a crystal from a liquid. Creation of liquid droplets in saturated vapor or the creation of gaseous bubbles in a saturated liquid is also characterized by nucleation ....
).

Low uric acid


Multiple sclerosis

Lower serum values of uric acid have been associated with Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the central nervous system, leading to demyelinating disease. Disease onset usually occurs in young adults, and it is more common in females....
. Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients have been found to have serum levels ~194µmol/L, with patients in relapse averaging ~160µmol/L and patients in remission averaging ~230µmol/L. Serum uric acid in healthy controls was ~290µmol/L. Conversion factor: 1mg/dL=59.48 µmol/L

A 1998 study completed a statistical analysis of 20 million patient records, comparing serum uric acid values in patients with gout and patients with multiple sclerosis. Almost no overlap between the groups was found.

Uric acid has been successfully used in the treatment and prevention of the animal (murine) model of MS. A 2006 study found that elevation of serum uric acid values in multiple sclerosis patients, by oral supplementation with inosine
Inosine

Inosine is a nucleoside that is formed when hypoxanthine is attached to a ribose ring via a ?-N9-glycosidic bond.Inosine is commonly found in tRNAs and is essential for proper translation of the genetic code in wobble base pairs....
, resulted in lower relapse rates, and no adverse effects.

Oxidative stress


Uric acid may be a marker of oxidative stress
Oxidative stress

Oxidative stress is caused by an imbalance between the production of reactive oxygen species and a biological system's ability to readily detoxify the reactive intermediates or easily repair the resulting damage....
, and may have a potential therapeutic role as an antioxidant
Antioxidant

An antioxidant is a molecule capable of slowing or preventing the Redox of other molecules. Oxidation is a chemical reaction that transfers electrons from a substance to an oxidizing agent....
. On the other hand, like other strong reducing substances such as ascorbate, uric acid can also act as a prooxidant, particularly at elevated levels. Thus, it is unclear whether elevated levels of uric acid in diseases associated with oxidative stress such as stroke
Stroke

A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to a disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. According to the National Stroke Association, a "stroke" occurs when a blood clot blocks and artery or a blood vessel breaks, interrupting blood flow to an area of the brain....
 and atherosclerosis
Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a syndrome affecting artery blood vessels. It is a chronic inflammatory response in the walls of arteries, in large part due to the accumulation of macrophage white blood cells and promoted by low density lipoproteins without adequate removal of fats and cholesterol from the macrophages by functional high density lipoprot...
 are a protective response or a primary cause.

For example, some researchers propose that hyperuricemia-induced oxidative stress is a cause of metabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medicine disorders that increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and Diabetes mellitus. It affects one in five people, and prevalence increases with age....
. On the other hand, plasma uric acid levels correlate with longevity in primates and other mammals. This is presumably a function of urate's antioxidant properties.

Sources of uric acid


  • In many instances, people have elevated uric acid levels for hereditary reasons. Diet may also be a factor.


  • Purines are found in high amounts in animal internal organ food products, such as liver. A moderate amount of purine is also contained in beef, pork, poultry, fish and seafood, asparagus, cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, green peas, lentils, dried peas, beans, oatmeal, wheat bran and wheat germ.


  • Examples of high purine sources include: sweetbread
    Sweetbread

    File:Sweetbreads.jpgSweetbreads are the thymuss and pancreas glands of lamb and mutton, beef, or pork. There are two different connected parts to the thymus gland, both set in the neck....
    s, anchovies, sardine
    Sardine

    Sardines, or pilchards, are a group of several types of small, oily fish related to herrings, family Clupeidae. Sardines were named after the island of Sardinia, where they were once in abundance....
    s, liver, beef kidneys, brains, meat extract
    Meat extract

    Meat extract is highly concentrated meat stock , usually made from beef. It is used to add meat flavor in cooking, and to make broth for drinking....
    s (e.g Oxo, Bovril), herring, mackerel
    Mackerel

    Mackerel is a common name applied to a number of different species of fish, mostly, but not exclusively, from the family Scombridae. They occur in all tropical and temperate seas....
    , scallop
    Scallop

    A scallop is a Marine bivalve mollusk of the Family Pectinidae. Scallops are a wiktionary:cosmopolitan family, found in all of the world's oceans....
    s, game meats, and gravy.


  • Moderate intake of purine-containing food is not associated with an increased risk of gout.


  • Serum uric acid can be elevated due to high fructose
    Fructose

    Fructose is a simple Reducing sugar sugar found in many foods and is one of the three important dietary monosaccharides along with glucose and galactose....
     intake , reduced excretion by the kidneys, and or high intake of dietary purine.


  • Added fructose can be found in processed foods and soda beverages as sucrose
    Sucrose

    Sucrose is a disaccharide of glucose and fructose, with the molecular formula C12H22O11. Its systematic name is a-D-glucopyranosyl- -?-D-fructofuranoside ....
    , or in some countries, as high fructose corn syrup
    High fructose corn syrup

    High-fructose corn syrup ? called isoglucose in Europe and glucose-fructose in Canada ? comprises any of a group of corn syrups that has undergone enzymatic processing to increase its fructose content, and then been mixed with pure corn syrup ....
    .


Causes of low uric acid

Low uric acid (hypouricemia
Hypouricemia

Hypouricemia is a level of uric acid in blood serum that is below normal. In humans, the normal range of this blood component has a lower threshold set variously in the range of 2 mg/dL to 4 mg/dL, while the upper threshold is 530 micromol/L for women and 619 micromol/L for men....
) can have numerous causes.

Sevelamer
Sevelamer

Sevelamer is a phosphate binder drug used to prevent hyperphosphataemia in patients with chronic renal failure. When taken with meals, sevelamer binds to dietary phosphate and prevents its absorption....
, a drug indicated for prevention of hyperphosphataemia in patients with chronic renal failure
Chronic renal failure

Chronic kidney disease , also known as chronic renal disease, is a progressive loss of kidney over a period of months or years. The symptoms of worsening kidney function are unspecific, and might include feeling malaise and experiencing a anorexia....
, can significantly reduce serum uric acid
Uric acid

Uric acid is an organic compound of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and hydrogen with the formula C5H4N4O3....
.

Other uric acid facts


The high nitrogen content of uric acid makes guano
Guano

Guano is the excrement of seabirds, bats, and Harbor Seal.Guano manure is an effective fertilizer and gunpowder ingredient due to its high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen and also its lack of odor....
 a useful agricultural fertilizer
Fertilizer

Fertilizers are chemical compounds given to plants to promote growth; they are usually applied either through the soil, for uptake by plant roots, or by foliar feeding, for uptake through leaves....
.

The crystalline form of uric acid is used as a reflector in certain species of fireflies
Firefly

Lampyridae is a family of insects in the beetle order Coleoptera. They are winged beetles, and commonly called fireflies or lightning bugs for their conspicuous crepuscular use of bioluminescence to attract mates or prey....
.

The uric acid in urine can also dry in a baby's diaper to form a pinkish powder that is harmless.

See also

  • Hyperuricemia
    Hyperuricemia

    Hyperuricemia is a level of uric acid in the blood that is abnormally high. In humans, the upper end of the normal range is 360 ?mol/L for women and 400 ?mol/L for men....


External links

  • - Uric Acid Test