Background. It is well known that blood serum elevated uric acid (UA) level is the cause of a number of chronic diseases, such as gout, as well as osteoarthritis and uric acid nephritis. As a rule, prolonged hyperuricemia is accompanied by severe skin manifestations, such as pruritus, erythema, and hypersensitivity. However, the use of drugs to correct hyperuricemia, obviously, does not solve this problem. Moreover, as is known, a number of plant extracts effectively enhance the UA clearance, helping to reduce its blood serum and tissue concentration.
Objective. Evaluation of the the effectiveness of a composition based on the components of a dietary supplement based on plant components of meadowsweet (Filipéndula ulmária) and aspen (Pópulus trémula) – Hepalit* on the blood serum UA level in patients with initially elevated UA levels.
Methods. The study involved patients with elevated serum UA levels (more than 350 µmol/L in women and 415 µmol/L in men). A total of 107 patients aged 45–65 years were examined, including 47 men (Group 1) and 62 women (Group 2). During study follow-up period, patients keep a routine diet. The herbal composition of dietary supplement consisting of micronized meadowsweet leaves (Filipéndula ulmária) and aspen bark (Pópulus trémula) was used per os at a dose of 500 mg for 30 days.
Results. Taking this herbal composition for a month provided significant decrease in the UA level in both men and women. Characteristically, this effect persisted 1 month after the end of the use of composition. Simultaneously with the decrease in UA, there were positive significant changes in triglycerides and blood sugar levels in patients with initial hypertriglyceridemia and hyperglycemia. Almost 90% of patients indicated the disappearance of such manifestations as itching, erythema and hypersensitivity, 55% – a decrease in the size of tophi. The effect was observed regardless of the location and severity of skin changes.
Conclusion. The herbal composition presented in this dietary supplement is based on meadowsweet (Filipéndula ulmária) and aspen (Pópulus trémula), can be recommended for use in patients with elevated UA levels, metabolic syndrome and gout as a component of functional nutrition or an independent herbal preparation.

Keywords: tophi, skin manifestations of gout, functional nutrition, diabetes mellitus, uric acid, metabolic syndrome, gout