title: Evaluation of diuretic activity of Amaranthus spinosus Linn. aqueous extract in Wistar rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditional Siddha medicine literature claims that the Amaranthus spinosus Linn. (family: Amaranthaceae) whole plant possesses diuretic property.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the diuretic potential of Amaranthus spinosus aqueous extract (ASAE) in rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Different concentrations of ASAE (200, 500, 1000, 1500mg/kg), thiazide (10mg/kg) and vehicle were orally administered to rats (n=6 animals per group) and their urine output was collected after 24h. Volume, pH, Na(+), K(+) and Cl(-) concentrations of urine were estimated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ASAE produced increase in Na(+), K(+), Cl(-) excretion, caused alkalinization of urine, showed strong saluretic activity and carbonic anhydrase inhibition activity. These effects were observed predominantly at 500mg/kg dose and there was no dose-response relationship.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study strongly suggests that the Amaranthus spinosus is acting as a thiazide like diuretic with carbonic anhydrase inhibitory activity which restates the claim as diuretic herb in Siddha medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, Manipal 576104, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: Arul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amuthan
authors.forename: Bharti
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chogtu
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Bairy
authors.lastname: Sudhakar
authors.forename: Mungli
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prakash
mesh_terms: D027721:Amaranthus; D000818:Animals; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases / Q000378:metabolism; D002712:Chlorides / Q000652:urine; D004232:Diuretics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D007477:Ions / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D051381:Rats; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D049971:Thiazides / Q000494:pharmacology; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D004232:Diuretics; D007477:Ions; D010936:Plant Extracts; D049971:Thiazides; D012964:Sodium; D002256:Carbonic Anhydrases; D011188:Potassium