Purine-Degrading Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Fermented Foods and Fig Fruit: Evaluation of Probiotic and Anti-Hyperuricemic Properties.

Hyperuricemia, resulting from impaired purine metabolism, is a metabolic health concern associated with gout and related disorders. Non-pharmacological strategies remain limited, underscoring the need for probiotic-based dietary interventions. The objective of this study was to identify purine-degrading lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with probiotic potential for managing hyperuricemia. Thirty-one LAB strains were isolated from fermented foods and Ficus carica. Of these, 16 strains showing detectable uric acid absorption were retained, and seven strains exhibiting > 15% uric acid absorption underwent detailed enzymatic profiling, including (XOD) xanthine oxidase inhibition, (UOX) urate oxidase activity (p < 0.05 vs. control), and 16 S rRNA sequencing. Among these, five strains (F7, F8, S1, S3, B3) that achieved > 90% inosine and guanosine degradation were selected for probiotic characterization. Enzyme profiling identified Lactiplantibacillus plantarum F7 as the most potent strain, showing dual activity (UOX: 0.55 ± 0.04 U/mg protein; XOD: 0.32 ± 0.03 U/mg protein) and high nucleoside degradation efficiencies (98.59 ± 0.50%) for inosine and (99.19 ± 0.47%) for guanosine with degradation velocities of 10.35 ± 0.05 and 10.41 ± 0.04 mg/(L·min). Probiotic assessment revealed robust acid tolerance (84.27% survival at pH 2), high bile resistance (> 90% at 0.3%), strong antioxidant capacity, negligible purine production, antibiotic susceptibility, and non-hemolytic activity. All experiments were performed in triplicate (n = 3), with results expressed as mean ± SD and analyzed using ANOVA with Tukey's post-hoc test. These findings identify Lpb. plantarum F7 as a promising probiotic candidate for managing hyperuricemia. This study was in vitro; in vivo validation is required.