Acute diuretic activity of aqueous Erica multiflora flowers and Cynodon dactylon rhizomes extracts in rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study is to evaluate the diuretic potential and effect on urinary electrolytes of aqueous Erica multiflora L. (Ericaceae) flowers and Cynodon dactylon L. (Poaceae) rhizomes extracts in rats.


METHODS
Different concentrations of these plants extract (0.125, 0.250, and 0.500 g/kg of body weight) or the reference drug furosemide (0.015 g/kg) were administrated orally to hydrated male Wistar rats and their urine output was measured at several interval of time after a single dose administration. Furthermore, a toxicological effect of both plants was undertaken as well.


RESULTS
The results showed that furosemide induced significant diuresis and electrolytes excretion during the first hours. Plant extracts increased significantly urinary output and electrolytes excretion at the dose of 0.250 g/kg for Erica multiflora and 0.500 g/kg for Cynodon dactylon. This diuretic effect seems to be not related to K(+) plant content. Urinary pH remained mostly unchanged during the course of the study for both plant extracts. No lethality was observed among animals when using Erica multiflora even at the dose of 10 g/kg while Cynodon dactylon, instead, caused 50% of rat death (LD50) at 4.5 g/kg.


CONCLUSIONS
We concluded that both aqueous herb extracts administered, particularly, at the dose of 0.500 g/kg induce significant effect on urinary output of water and electrolytes and justify their use as diuretic remedy in traditional medicine.
Laboratoire de Biochimie, Faculté des Sciences, Département de Biologie, Université Mohammed 1(er), Oujda, Morocco.
Chrifa
C
Sadki
Brahim
B
Hacht
Amrani
A
Souliman
Fouad
F
Atmani
D000818:Animals; D031744:Cynodon / Q000737:chemistry*; D004231:Diuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029791:Ericaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D035264:Flowers / Q000737:chemistry*; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D027343:Rhizome / Q000737:chemistry*; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance / Q000187:drug effects
D004232:Diuretics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D049993:Sodium Chloride Symporter Inhibitors; D005665:Furosemide