title: Diuretic activity of Smilax canariensis, an endemic Canary Island species.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smilax canariensis is an endemic species of the Canary Islands, popularly known as "Zarzaparrilla sin espinas". This species has wide use in folk-medicine practice on the islands, especially as diuretic. So the aim of our study is to evaluate the diuretic activity of an aqueous and a methanol extract of this species.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three infusions doses (250, 500 and 750 mg/kg) and two methanol extract doses (100 and 200 mg/kg) were orally administered to laboratory rats. Water excretion rate, pH, density, conductivity, and content of Na(+) and K(+) were measured in the urine of saline-loaded rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Water excretion rates were significantly increased in a dose-dependent manner by both hot water infusions and the alcohol extract. The electrolytic excretion was also dose-dependent, although potassium excretion was markedly reduced when using the alcohol extract compared with that observed for the infusion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smilax canariensis presents a notable diuretic effect which appeared to be related both to its potassium content and to the presence of polar organic compounds. The present results provide a quantitative basis explaining the traditional folk-medicine use of Smilax canariensis as a diuretic agent by the Canary Island population.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Farmacología y Farmacognosia, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de La Laguna, 38207, La Laguna, Islas Canarias, Spain. sabdala@ull.es
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdala
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Martín-Herrera
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Benjumea
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pérez-Paz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000633:toxicity; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D032281:Smilax / Q000737:chemistry*; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D013030:Spain; D023382:Toxicity Tests, Acute; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014867:Water; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium