Uric acid in mammalian subjects is reduced and excretion of uric acid is increased by administering a compound of Formula (I) or its pharmaceutically acceptable salts. The uric acid-lowering effects of the compounds of this invention are used to treat or prevent a variety of conditions including gout, hyperuricemia, elevated levels of uric acid that do not meet the levels customarily justifying a diagnosis of hyperuricemia, renal dysfunction, kidney stones, cardiovascular disease, risk for developing cardiovascular disease, tumor-lysis syndrome, cognitive impairment, early-onset essential hypertension, and Plasmodium falciparum-induced inflammation. R1 is hydrogen or alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. R2 is alkyl having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, alkoxy having from 1 to 3 carbon atoms, hydroxy, nitro, halo, thio, alkylthio, or cyano. R3 and R4 are each independently hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, perfluoromethyl, methoxy, ethoxy, perfluoromethoxy, halo, hydroxy, nitro, or amino.
