How it works

Febuxostat is a Xanthine oxidase inhibitor. Febuxostat is a non-purine, selective inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. It achieves its therapeutic effect by decreasing serum uric acid. Uric acid, the end-product of purine metabolism in humans, is generated secondary to xanthine oxidase-mediated biotransformation of each of the following steps:

hypoxanthine ——— xanthine ———– uric acid.

Febuxostat inhibits the oxidized and reduced forms of xanthine oxidase but it has no significant effect on enzymes involved in purine or pyrimidine metabolism.