SURVEYING THE ABILITY TO INHIBIT XANTHINE OXIDASE ENZYME OF THE EXTRACT OF GREEN AMARANTHUSVIRIDIS L

For a long time, many studies have proven that medicinal plants have potential XO inhibitors, in which Xanthine oxidase (XO) plays an important role in converting purine into uric acid. Overproduction and high accumulation of uric acid in the body cause some serious diseases, especially gout. Therefore, selective XO enzyme inhibitors will be therapeutic agents for some uric acid-related diseases. This study is conducted with the purpose of evaluating the ability of inhibiting XO of extracts from Amaranthus plants at the in vitro level. Plant samples are extracted by soaking with 70% ethanol. The ability to inhibit XO is determined by spectrophotometry based on uric acid formation at 290 nm. The results showed that the Green Amaranthushad an efficiency of extracting ethanol, equivalent to 5.0%. The ability to inhibit XO of the extract is shown by the IC50 value of 243 µg/mL and by a mixed mechanism. The extract has the ability to eliminate DPPH free radicals with a corresponding IC50 value of 207 µg/mL. Qualitative analysis shows that the extract contains XO-inhibiting compounds called flavonoids. Quantitative analysis by colorimetric method with aluminum chloride determined the amount of total flavonoids and flavonols in the ethanol extract of amaranth to be 1.35±0.11 and 0.47±0.03 g/100g of dry substance. In general, the extracts in this study show the ability to inhibit xanthine oxidase enzyme in a mixed way.