Antihyperuricemic and Renal Protective Effect of Cordyceps chanhua (Ascomycetes) Fruiting Bodies in Acute Hyperuricemia and Chronic Gout Rodent Models

<i>Cordyceps chanhua</i> has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine. The uric acid–lowering effect of artificially cultivated fruiting bodies of <i>C. chanhua</i> (FBCC) was studied using the acute hyperuricemia (AH) and chronic gout (CG) animal models. The AH mice and CG rats were randomly divided into 6 groups: the negative control group, model group, positive control group, low-dose group, medium-dose group, and high-dose group of FBCC, respectively. Serum uric acid, creatinine, urea nitrogen, and liver xanthine oxidase (XOD) activity were detected. Renal tubulointerstitial injury and urate crystals in CG rats were evaluated. The results showed that the uric acid content in AH mice with the high-dose FBCC group decreased statistically (<i>P</i> &#60; 0.05). In the CG rats, the serum uric acid level in all FBCC groups and the serum creatinine value in the high-dose group exhibited a significant decrease (<i>P</i> &#60; 0.05); the scores of renal tubulointerstitial damage and urate deposit were reduced in the high-dose group of FBCC. FBCC can reduce uric acid and improve renal function, demonstrating it as a beneficial supplement for uric acid–lowering and gout-relieving drugs.