This study evaluated 15 lactic acid bacteria with a focus on their ability to degrade inosine and hypo-xanthine—which are the intermediates in purine metabolism—for the management of hyperuricemia and gout. After a preliminary screening based on HPLC, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum CR1 and Lactiplantibacillus pentosus GZ1 were found to have the highest nucleoside degrading rates, and they were therefore selected for further characterization. S. thermophilus IDCC 2201, which possessed the hpt gene encoding hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) and exhibited purine degradation, was also selected for further characterization. These three selected strains were examined in terms of their probiotic effect on lowering serum uric acid in a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemia. Among these three strains, the level of serum uric acid was most reduced by S. thermophilus IDCC 2201 (p < 0.05). Further, analysis of the microbiome showed that administration of S. thermophlilus IDCC 2201 led to a significant difference in gut microbiota composition compared to that in the group administered with PO-induced hyperuricemia. Moreover, intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were found to be significantly increased. Altogether, the results of this work indicate that S. thermophilus IDCC 2201 lowers uric acid levels by degrading purine-nucleosides and also restores intestinal flora and SCFAs, ultimately suggesting that S. thermophilus IDCC 2201 is a promising candidate for use as an adjuvant treatment in patients with hyperuricemia.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

Moon JS, et al. Food Suppl Biomater Health. 2023 Sep;3(3):e22. https://doi.org/10.52361/fsbh.2023.3.e22

Oh I, et al. Food Suppl Biomater Health. 2026 Sep;6(3):e17. https://doi.org/10.52361/fsbh.2026.6.e17

Choi HS, et al. Food Suppl Biomater Health. 2024 Feb;4:e3. https://doi.org/10.52361/fsbh.2024.4.e3

This study evaluated 15 lactic acid bacteria in terms of their ability to degrade inosine and hypoxanthine—which are the intermediates in purine metabolism—for the management of hyperuricemia and gout. After a preliminary screening based on HPLC, CR1 ( Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ) and GZ1 ( Lactiplantibacillus pentosus ) showed the highest nucleoside degrading rates and were therefore selected for further characterization. IDCC 2201 ( S. thermophilus ), which possessed the hpt gene encoding hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) and exhibited purine degradation, was also selected. These three selected strains were examined in terms of the effect of probiotics on lowering serum uric acid in a rat model of potassium oxonate (PO)-induced hyperuricemia. Among them, the level of serum uric acid was most reduced by IDCC 2201 (p < 0.05). Further, analysis of the microbiome showed that administration of IDCC 2201 recovered the ratio of Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes in the intestinal microbial composition unbalanced by hyperuricemia and showed a difference in the intestinal microbial composition compared to the group administered with allopurinol. Moreover, intestinal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were significantly increased. Ultimately, the findings show that IDCC 2201 lowers uric acid levels by degrading purine-nucleosides and restores intestinal flora and SCFAs, ultimately suggesting that IDCC 2201 is a promising candidate for use as an adjuvant treatment in patients with hyperuricemia.