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uric acid
the end product of purine metabolism or oxidation in the body. It is present in blood in a concentration of about 5 mg/100 mL and is excreted in the
urine in amounts of a little less than 1 g per day. In gout there is an excess of uric acid in the blood, and its salts, the urates, form insoluble stones in the urinary tract, or may crystallize and form deposits (see tophus) in the joints and tissues. The presence of high concentrations of uric acid in the urine is significant in the diagnosis
of gout, but is of little significance in urinary disorders.
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