Usefulness of an Insect Pest (Dactylopius opuntiae) in Hyperuricemia Associated with Renal Dysfunction in Mice

Background/Objectives: Actual urate-lowering therapies may cause serious side effects in patients. Thus, alternative treatments are needed to regulate uric acid (UA) levels in patients with hyperuricemia associated with kidney injury, and natural sources have demonstrated utility in this field. For the first time, our study evaluated the effects of an extract of Dactylopius opuntiae insects on hyperuricemia related to renal dysfunction in vitro and in mice. Methods: Insects were bred and collected, and two different extracts (D1 and D2) were obtained. For both extracts, xanthine oxidase (XO) and radical inhibitory assays were performed. Subsequently, serum purine levels and renal markers were quantified in male BALB/c mice who received potassium oxonate, hypoxanthine, and gentamicin. Results: The D2 extract contained 18,037.7 µg of carminic acid/mL, inhibited 53.2% of XO activity at one concentration, and showed IC50 values of 18,207.8 and 5729.6 µg/mL against ABTS and DPPH radicals. D2 administration reduced serum UA and creatinine levels, and it avoided the increased kidney weight and reduced renal antioxidant capacity caused by hyperuricemia and allopurinol use in mice. Despite the satisfactory results obtained in vitro, the D1 extract killed the animal models due to its citric acid content. Conclusions: The D2 insect extract can be used as an effective therapy for hyperuricemia associated with kidney dysfunction.