title: Comparison of the diuretic effects of frusemide and the Karavi Panchaka Ayurveda decoction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the diuretic, natriuretic and kaliuretic effects of the antihypertensive Ayurveda drug Karavi Panchaka decoction and compare it with the diuretic frusemide.
  
  
  METHODS
  An animal study using Sprague-Dawley rats. The volume of urine and the total sodium and potassium excreted in the urine by rats in response to orally fed Karavi Panchaka decoction were compared with rats fed with frusemide. Control experiments were done with rats receiving similar volumes of distilled water orally. The Ayurveda drug was prepared in accordance with the traditional method in the laboratory using medicinal plant specimens individually collected and identified.
  
  
  METHODS
  The volume of urine excreted during a 24-hour period following administration of the Ayurveda drug, frusemide or water was measured. The total sodium and potassium ion concentrations in the urine samples were determined using flame photometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Karavi Panchaka decoction clearly showed a statistically significant increase in urine excretion when compared with the control group that received only distilled water. The potassium ion excretion was significantly increased in the Karavi Panchaka decoction treated group when compared to the control group. This increase was statistically similar to that caused by frusemide. Neither drug had a significant effect on sodium ion excretion at the dosages used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results show that the Karavi Panchaka decoction significantly increases urine and potassium ion excretion in rats, but has no effect on sodium ion excretion at the dosage used. The effect of the Ayurveda drug on urine output as well as the sodium and potassium ion excretion is similar to that of frusemide administered at the dose used in our study.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. jwelihinda@gmail.com
authors.forename: Jayantha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Welihinda
authors.forename: H A S
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Ariyawansa
authors.forename: Rohitha
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wickramasinghe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D008515:Medicine, Ayurvedic; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000652:urine; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D014556:Urine
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D005665:Furosemide; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium