Allopurinol

摘要

Allopurinol is a xanthine oxidase-inhibiting drug commonly used in human and veterinary medicine to treat primary and secondary hyperuricaemia. In vitro, allopurinol is converted to its major metabolite, oxypurinol. Both allopurinol and oxypurinol inhibit the enzyme xanthine oxidase, which is responsible for the conversion of oxy-purines (hypoxanthine and xanthine) to uric acid. Fundamentally, allopurinol reduces conversion of hypoxanthine to xanthine and xanthine to uric acid in the liver. Allopurinol therapy therefore decreases plasma uric acid levels and increases concentrations of hypoxanthine and xanthine in the body. In human and exotic pet medicine, allopurinol is most commonly used for the treatment of gout.