Patent ID: 8808768

Claim:
A method for treating gout or hyperuricemia comprising: orally administering to a subject having gout or hyperuricemia, an effective amount of a pharmaceutical dosage form, wherein said pharmaceutical dosage form consists essentially of an extract of Curcuma longa rhizome and a carrier; wherein said Curcuma longa rhizome extract is prepared by the following steps: (a) washing Curcuma longa rhizomes in distilled water, removing most of the rhizome skin, cutting said rhizome into pieces, drying said cut rhizomes at 40-42° C. and powdering said dry, cut rhizomes to obtain powdered rhizome; (b) combining the powdered rhizomes of part (a) with 40% ethanol to create a mixture; (c) stirring the mixture of part (b) for 20 hours at room temperature to create a stirred mixture, (d) centrifuging the stirred mixture of part (c) to create insoluble material and a clear, soluble extract, (e) removing the insoluble material from the clear, soluble extract and collecting said clear, soluble extract; wherein the clear, soluble extract of part (e) is the extract of Curcuma longa rhizome; wherein said pharmaceutical dosage form is selected from the group consisting of a tablet, a coated tablet, a capsule and an emulsion; wherein the carrier is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium stearate, talc, sugar, lactose, pectin, dextrin, starch, gelatin, methylcellulose, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, cocoa butter, a colorant, a flavor, a stabilizer, a buffer, a sweetener, a dispersant, a thickener, a solubilizing agent and mixtures thereof; and wherein in part (b), the powdered rhizome and 40% ethanol are combined in a ratio of 1:5 to 1:100 (powdered rhizome: 40% ethanol).