Caffeic acid phenethyl ester alleviated hypouricemia in hyperuricemic mice through inhibiting XOD and up-regulating OAT3

•CAPE demonstrated a remarkable hypouricemic effect, depicting efficacies between 48 and 62% and approaching to the efficacy of allopurinol (52%).•Serum parameters, inner organ coefficients and H&E staining suggested that CAPE alleviated the liver and kidney injuries caused by hyperuricemia.•CAPE decreased XOD activities in vivo and in vitro, indicating that inhibiting XOD may be a mechanism for its hypouricemic effect.•CAPE down-regulated GLUT9 and URAT1 and up-regulated ABCG2 and OAT3.