Human Nutrition and Metabolism Research Communication Consumption of Cherries Lowers Plasma Urate in Healthy Women, Robert A. Jacob3, Giovanna M. Spinozzi, Vicky A. Simon, Darshan S. Kelley, Ronald L. Prior*, Betty Hess-Pierce and Adel A. Kader U.S. Department of Agriculture/ARS Western Human Nutrition Research Center, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA 95616; * U.S. Department of Agriculture/ARS Arkansas Children’s Nutrition Center, Little Rock, AR 72202; and Department of Pomology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616 3To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: rjacob@whnrc.usda.gov. To assess the physiologic effects of cherry consumption, we measured plasma urate, antioxidant and inflammatory markers in 10 healthy women who consumed Bing sweet cherries. The women, age 22–40 y, consumed two servings (280 g) of cherries after an overnight fast. Blood and urine samples were taken before the cherry dose, and at 1.5, 3 and 5 h postdose. Plasma urate decreased 5 h postdose, mean ± SEM = 183 ± 15 µmol/L compared with predose baseline of 214 ± 13 µmol/L (P < 0.05). Urinary urate increased postdose, with peak excretion of 350 ± 33 µmol/mmol creatinine 3 h postdose compared with 202 ± 13 at baseline (P < 0.01). Plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations had decreased marginally 3 h postdose (P < 0.1), whereas plasma albumin and tumor necrosis factor- were unchanged. The vitamin C content of the cherries was solely as dehydroascorbic acid, but postdose increases in plasma ascorbic acid indicated that dehydroascorbic acid in fruits is bioavailable as vitamin C. The decrease in plasma urate after cherry consumption supports the reputed anti-gout efficacy of cherries. The trend toward decreased inflammatory indices (CRP and NO) adds to the in vitro evidence that compounds in cherries may inhibit inflammatory pathways. J. Nutr. 133:1826-1829, June 2003 Remember we are NOT Doctors and have NO medical training. This site is like an Encylopedia - there are many pages, many links on many topics. Support our work with any size DONATION - see left side of any page - for how to donate. You can help raise awareness of CAM.