*2.2. Body Weight Changes*

Body weights of the rats were monitored for the duration of the study. A normal increase in body was observed in the normal. However, the model group showed a slow increase in body when compared to the normal rats. A slight difference in body weight increase was also observed in the RA-3 and allopurinol treated rats (Table 1).


**Table 1.** Body weight changes of the rats after 28 days of the experiment.

Data were expressed as mean ± SD (*n* = 5). \* *p* < 0.05 vs. model control group.

#### *2.3. Changes on Serum Levels of Some Renal Dysfunction Biomarkers*

Changes in serum levels of some common renal dysfunction biomarkers were analyzed following treatment of the ailing rats with RA-3. Elevated levels of serum creatinine (Cr, 4.8 ± 1.78 mg/dL), angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE, 138.0 ± 39.61 U/L), and blood urea nitrogen (BUN, 22.5 ± 1.11 mg/dL), were observed in the model control group (MC). However, treatment of the rats with RA-3, especially at 100 mg/kg, e ffectively lowered these renal dysfunction biomarkers (Cr, 0.92 ± 0.23 mg/dL; ACE 75.5 ± 10.9 U/L; BUN 5.75 ± 0.29 mg/dL) near to the values of the normal control group (Figure 2). The results (Cr and BUN) obtained from RA-3 (100 mg/kg) treated groups were also comparable to the group treated with allopurinol.

**Figure 2.** Effect of RA-3 on serum levels of creatinine (**a**), blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (**b**), and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) (**c**). Data were expressed as mean ± SD (*n* = 5), \* *p* < 0.05 vs. MC group. NC—normal control, MC—model control, Allo—allopurinol.

#### *2.4. Serum Levels of Xanthine Oxidase, Uric Acid and Interleukin-6*

While higher serum levels of UA (0.61 ± 0.10 mg/dL), xanthine oxidase (XO, 1.48 ± 0.22 mU/mL), and interleukin-6 (IL-6, 0.71 ± 0.28 pg/mL) were observed in the model control group when compared to the normal control, RA-3, in a concentration dependent manner, significantly decreased the serum

levels of UA (0.34 ± 0.08; 0.16 ± 0.02 mg/dL, *p* < 0.01) and XO (0.62 ± 0.12; 0.44 ± 0.08 mU/mL, *p* < 0.05). Though the difference was not significant, a relatively lower serum levels of IL-6 were also observed in the RA-3 treated groups when compared to the model control. Similar results were observed in the allopurinol (a known XO inhibitor and hypouricemic drug) treated group (Figure 3) in which a significant decrease in the serum levels of AU and XO were observed.

**Figure 3.** Effect of RA-3 on the serum levels of uric acid (**a**), xanthine oxidase (XO) (**b**) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) (**c**). Data were expressed as mean ± SD (*n* = 5), \* *p* < 0.05 vs. MC group. NC—normal control, MC—model control, Allo—allopurinol.
