Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Aqueous extract of Flueggea leucopyrus increases urine output in rats

NU Ellepola¹, SA Deraniyagala¹ , WD Ratnasooriya², K Perera³

¹Faculty of Science, Department of Chemistry; ²Department of Zoology, University of Colombo, PO Box 1490, Colombo; ³Animal House, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, PO Box 271, 25 Kynsey Rd, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

For correspondence:- SA Deraniyagala Email: sd@chem.cmb.ac.lk Tel:+94112503367

Received: 11 February 2014 Revised: 17 November 2014 Published: 30 January 2015

Citation: Ellepola N, Deraniyagala S, Ratnasooriya W, Perera K. Aqueous extract of Flueggea leucopyrus increases urine output in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2015; 14(1):95-101 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v14i1.14

© 2015 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose:To investigate the effect of Flueggea leucopyrus Wild aqueous extract (FLAE) on the urinary output of rats.

Method:Three different doses of FLAE (500, 1000 and 1500 mgkg^-1), furosemide (13 mg kg^-1 as diuretic reference) and distilled water (as control) were orally administered to healthy adult hydrated rats. Cumulative urine output was monitored hourly over 6 h. Selected urinary parameters were determined for 1500 mg kg^-1 dose, furosemide, and water-treated groups to investigate the possible mode of action. Using these data, standard urine indices were calculated. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in terms of creatinine clearance, overt toxicity, renal toxicity, liver toxicity, as well as phytochemical screening were also determined.

Results:The highest dose (1500 mgkg^-1) significantly increased urine output (control vs. treated: 0.74 ± 0.07 vs. 1.38 ± 0.09 mL/100 g) (p < 0.05) r² = 0.925). The effect of FLAE was dose-dependent. Increase in urine output was observed from the 1st hour, peaked at 2nd hour and lasted till the 6th hour. Furthermore, 1500 mgkg-1 dose of FLAE caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in urinary K⁺ level, aldosterone secretion index, thiazide secretion index and GFR at 24 h. However, significant decrease in urinary Na⁺ level (control vs. treated: 7915.2 ± 423.1 vs. 6611.2 ± 181.3 ppm) was noted with the highest dose (p < 0.05). Serum alanine transaminase (ALT), serum aspartate transaminase (AST) and urea levels were not altered significantly (p > 0.05). However, serum creatinine level was elevated significantly (p < 0.05). Phytochemical screening showed that FLAE contains primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary alkaloids/amine oxides, triterpenoids, unsaturated sterols, leucoanthocyanins, tannins of pyrogallol type and cyanogenic glycoside.

Conclusion:The results show that FLAE exhibits moderate oral aquaretic activity.

Keywords: Flueggea leucopyrus, Diuretic, Aquaretic, Urine output, Toxicity, Phytochemical