allopurinol

American  

[al-uh-pyoor-uh-nawl, -nol] / ˌæl əˈpyʊər əˌnɔl, -ˌnɒl /

noun

Pharmacology.

1. a substance, C 5 H 4 N 4 O, used primarily in the treatment of chronic gout to decrease the synthesis of uric acid.

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allopurinol British  

/ ˌæləʊˈpjʊərɪˌnɒl /

noun

1. a synthetic drug that reduces blood concentrations of uric acid and is administered orally in the treatment of gout. Formula: C 5 H 4 N 4 O

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Etymology

Origin of allopurinol

1960–65; apparently allo- + purine + -ol ¹

Example Sentences

Medications such as allopurinol are widely used to lower urate levels in the blood.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

“It contains a molecule that’s similar to the drug allopurinol, which is used to treat gout,” Alexon says.

From Washington Post • Aug. 15, 2022

It found that patients on Uloric had a 22 percent higher risk of death from any cause and a 34 percent higher risk of heart-related deaths than patients taking allopurinol, a generic alternative.

From Salon • Jul. 2, 2018

But it may be an answer for some who cannot use allopurinol or other oral drugs for uric-acid-clearance.

From Washington Post • Mar. 7, 2011

And electrical recordings of the patients' hearts showed that allopurinol enabled the heart to work for longer before showing signs of oxygen deprivation.

From Reuters • Jun. 7, 2010