title: [Acute diuretic effect of ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Ceratopteris pteridoides (Hook) in normal rats].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ceratopteris pteridoides is a semiaquatic fern of the Parkeriacea family, widely used in the Colombian folk medicine as a diuretic and cholelithiasic, of which there are no scientific reports that validate its popular use.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the acute and short-term repeated-dose diuretic effect of the ethanolic and aqueous extracts of C. pteridoides in an in vivo model.
  
  
  METHODS
  The total ethanolic extract was obtained by maceration of the whole plant of C. pteridoides with ethanol and the aqueous extract by decoction at 60°C for 15 minutes. Both extracts were evaluated in preliminary phytochemical analysis and histological studies after the administration of the extracts for 8 consecutive days (1000 mg/Kg). The diuretic effect was evaluated using Wistar rats treated with the extracts (500 mg/Kg), using an acute and a short-term repeated-dose model, and quantifying water elimination, sodium and potassium excretion by atomic absorption spectrophotometry, and chloride excretion by mercurimetric titration.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the acute model both extracts showed significant diuretic, natriuretic, and kaliuretic effect compared to the control group. Whereas, a short-term repeated-dose administration showed a diuretic effect without elimination of electrolytes. The histopathologic study did not suggest a toxic effect in liver or kidney.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results represent evidence of the diuretic activity of C. pteridoides and give support the popular use given to this plant in the north coast of Colombia. Further studies are required to isolate and identify the compounds responsible for the activity and the mechanism of action involved.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de Evaluación Biológica de Sustancias Promisorias, Facultad de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia.
authors.forename: Antistio Aníbal
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Alviz
authors.forename: Rubén Darío
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Salas
authors.forename: Luis Alberto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Franco
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002712:Chlorides / Q000652:urine; D003105:Colombia; D004231:Diuresis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D000431:Ethanol; D005260:Female; D005665:Furosemide / Q000494:pharmacology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D011188:Potassium / Q000652:urine; D029625:Pteridaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D002712:Chlorides; D004232:Diuretics; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D014867:Water; D000431:Ethanol; D005665:Furosemide; D011188:Potassium