The Pharmacology of the Hypouricemic Effect of Benzbromarone

The pharmacological reduction of the serum uric acid in man has been commonly achieved by the use of compounds which increase the renal excretion of uric acid. Although numerous uricosuric drugs have been available, sulfinpyrazone and probenecid have gained the widest usage. Recently a new class of uricosuric compounds, the benzofurans, has been discovered and tested. One of these compounds, benzbromarone, has been found useful in the clinical management of hyperuricemia (for bibliography see 1). In addition to its uricosuric properties it has been proposed that the hypouricemic effects of benzbromarone may also result from the inhibition of uric acid synthesis. We have evaluated the mechanism by which benzbromarone could lower the serum uric acid in man (1).