The final product of purine metabolism is uric acid (UA) which is produced by xanthine oxidase (XO). Although most mammalian species can also oxidize UA to allantoin via uricase, humans are thought to lost uricase for an evolutionary advantage to maintain blood pressure under a low-salt diet with protection against oxidative damage. Therefore, humans have 3 to 10 times higher serum uric acid (SUA) levels compared to other mammals with uricase enzyme [1]. Since the discovery of gout as the “disease of kings”, gout and hyperuricemia have been associated with excessive meat and alcohol consumption.
