PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON DIURETIC EFFECT OF SPILANTHES ACMELLA LEAVES EXTRACTS IN RATS

Abstract

Petroleum ether, chloroform and alcohol extracts of leaves of Spilanthes acmella were evaluated for its diuretic activity using modified method of Rao. The animals were grouped into different groups of six animals each. All the animals received priming dose of 0.9% sodium chloride solution (20 ml/kg body weight p.o.). The first group of animals, served as control, received normal saline (20 ml/kg body weight p.o.); the second group received the standard drug frusemide (10 mg/kg body weight p.o. ) in 0.9% sodium chloride solution and The other three groups received petroleum ether, chloroform, and alcohol extracts of Spilanthes acmella leaves in a dose of 500 mg/kg body weight suspended in 0.9% sodium chloride solution (p.o.).  The urine volume was recorded for all the groups for 5h. and electrolyte concentration (Na+, K+ and Cl‐) were measured. The extracts showed increase in total urine volume and electrolytes excretion (sodium Na+, potassium K+ and chloride Cl‐). So, Out of the different extracts, the alcohol extract (500 mg/kg) significantly and markedly increased the urine output (p < 0.01). The pattern of diuresis induced by the alcohol extract was almost similar to that produced by the frusemide. These findings suggest the possible traditional use of this plant in hypertension as diuretics are used in the management of hypertension.