Study on the anti-gout activity of the lotus seed pod by UPLC-QTOF-MS and virtual molecular docking

The lotus seed pod is one of the main organs of the lotus plant and is commonly used in traditional medicine. It is believed to have dehumidifying and anti-rheumatic effects. This study, utilized the non-targeted approach of identification via UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS to identify the main chemical components in the lotus seed pod extracts and found a total of 118 compounds. Among them, 25 components were identified for the first time in the lotus seed pod. Next, using the molecular docking technique, common gout receptors (PDB ID: 1N5X, 1FIQ, 2EIQ) were docked to the compounds in the extracts, and their activities were screened using the LibDock and CDOCKER modules. In order to screen compounds with anti-gout activity in the lotus seed pod, acid precipitation (AP) fractions were prepared by an established extraction method of flavonoids, which were then analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. Finally, a rodent model bearing acute gout and hyperuricemia was established by ankle injection of sodium urate and intraperitoneal injection of xanthine and potassium oxonate. The results of this study showed that AP could not only significantly alleviate joint swelling and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, but also reduce synovial and renal pathological damage. This indicated the efficacy of AP in the treatment of gouty arthritis.