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Acute toxicity and diuretic studies of Rungia repens aerial parts in rats
Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 83 – 85 www.elsevier.com/locate/fitote
Acute toxicity and diuretic studies of Rungia repens aerial parts in rats S.K. Basu a,⁎, R. Arivukkarasu b a
Department of Pharmacognosy and Technology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, 700 032, India b A.K.College of Pharmacy, Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu, 626 190, India Received 25 December 2003; accepted 17 November 2005 Available online 6 January 2006
Abstract Ethanolic extract of Rungia repens aerials parts (300 and 600 mg/kg p.o) showed diuretic activity in rats. The acute toxicity, orally evaluated in mice, was found to be higher than 3000 mg/kg. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Rungia repens; Diuretic activity; Toxicity
1. Introduction Rungia repens (L) Nees (Acanthaceae) is a herb popularly known in Tamil as Kodagasalai and in Sanskrit as Parpata. Its stem is decumbent rooting near the base, leaves are opposite decussately arranged. R. repens found growing as a shade loving weed in moist places, sides of water channels, bunds of paddy fields and also under the shadow area of coconut tree. R. repens has been said to be useful as an internal and external remedy as antipyretic, diuretic, vermifugal and applied to the scalp in cases of Tinea capitis [1,2]. 2. Experimental 2.1. Plant material Nees fresh aerial parts, collected during August 2001, from Theni districts, Tamil Nadu, India in paddy fields, sides of water channel in the shadow area of coconut tree were authenticated by Dr. D. Stephen, Taxonomist, American College, Madurai. A voucher specimen (SKBA-1) is preserved in College of Pharmacy, Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu. 2.2. Extraction Shade dried, powdered aerial parts were extracted with 90% ethanol. The extract was concentrated in vacuo to give a semi-solid residue (yield: 17.23% ). Preliminary phytochemical screening [3] gave positive test for flavonoids and tannins. ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 2533 0880 /+33 2414 6666x2455. E-mail address: [email protected] (S.K. Basu). 0367-326X/$ - see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2005.11.007
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S.K. Basu, R. Arivukkarasu / Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 83–85
Table 1 Effect of ethanolic extract of R. repens aerial parts on urine excretion in rats Treatment
Saline Urea R. repens extract
Dose (mg/kg p.o) – 750 300 600
Volume (ml)a
1.61 ± 0.05 2.99 ± 0.26*** 2.85 ± 0.07*** 3.42 ± 0.11***
Na+/K+
Concentration of ions (meq/l) Na+
K+
Cl−
84.52 ± 0.58 132.32 ± 1.06*** 122.36 ± 1.56** 137.11 ± 0.71***
55.71 ± 1.23 82.93 ± 0.82*** 79.39 ± 0.22*** 83.42 ± 0.93***
92.70 ± 1.06 93.49 ± 0.96* 91.85 ± 0.41* 93.13 ± 0.57**
1.51 1.59 1.54 1.64
N = 6. Values are mean ± S.E.M; *P b 0.05, ** P b 0.01, *** P b 0.001 vs saline (25 ml/kg, p.o) Student's t-test. a Collected for 5 h after treatment.
2.3. Animals Wister rats 150–200 g, and Swiss mice 25–30 g were used. They were housed in standard environmental conditions and fed with standard rodent diet with water ad libitum. 2.4. Diuretic activity The test was performed according to Lipschitz et al. [4] on male rats. The animals, fasted and deprived of water for 18 h prior to the experiment, were divided in four groups of six rats each. The first group of animals, serving as control received normal saline (25 ml/kg p.o.) the second group received urea (750 mg/kg, p.o.) in saline as a standard; the third and fourth groups received the test extract at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg, respectively, in saline. Immediately after dosing, the animals were separately placed in cages suitable for collection of urine in graduated measuring cylinders. Urines were collected for 5 h while animals were deprived of food and water. Urine volume and Na+, K+ and Cl− concentrations in the urine were determined. 2.5. Acute toxicity Mice either sex were divided into eight groups of six animals each. The control group received normal saline (2ml/kg, p.o.). The other groups received 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg/kg of test extract, respectively. Immediately after dosing, the animals were observed continuously for the first 4 h for behavior. They were then kept under observation up to 14 days after extract administration to find out the mortality. 2.6. Statistical analysis The results are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. Significance of differences between control and treated groups was determined using Student's t-test. 3. Results and discussion The ethanolic extract of R. repens aerial parts (300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o) showed significant increase of urinary concentrations of Na+ and K+ in rats (Table 1). Moreover, the extract increased the volume of urine at both dose levels. The obtained effect was comparable to that of urea (750 mg/kg, p.o). Orally administered to mice in doses from 100 to 3000 mg/kg, the ethanolic extract of R. repens produced sedation, increased urination and defecation at all tested doses. There was no mortality in any of the above mentioned doses at the end of the 14 days of observation. Although these results provide a support for the traditional uses of R. repens aerial parts, further studies are necessary to better evaluate its safety and modes of action. Acknowledgements One of the author R.Arivukkarasu, is thankful to Kalvivallal T. Kalasalingam chairman and Dr.A.Rajasekaran principal, A.K.College of Pharmacy, Krishnankoil, Srivilliputtur for providing necessary facilities to carry out this research.
S.K. Basu, R. Arivukkarasu / Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 83–85
References [1] [2] [3] [4]
Kirithikar KR, Basu BD. Indian medicinal plants, vol. 3. Dehradun: Bishen Mahendrapal Singh; 1987. p. 1907. Chopra's Indigenous drugs of India. 2nd edition, 1958. p. 523. Harbone JB. Phytochemical methods. 2nd ed. London: Chapman and Hall; 1984. Lipschitz WL, Haddian Z, Kerpscar A. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1943;79:123.
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Acute toxicity and diuretic studies of Rungia repens aerial parts in rats S.K. Basu a,⁎, R. Arivukkarasu b a
Department of Pharmacognosy and Technology, Jadavpur University, Calcutta, 700 032, India b A.K.College of Pharmacy, Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu, 626 190, India Received 25 December 2003; accepted 17 November 2005 Available online 6 January 2006
Abstract Ethanolic extract of Rungia repens aerials parts (300 and 600 mg/kg p.o) showed diuretic activity in rats. The acute toxicity, orally evaluated in mice, was found to be higher than 3000 mg/kg. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. Keywords: Rungia repens; Diuretic activity; Toxicity
1. Introduction Rungia repens (L) Nees (Acanthaceae) is a herb popularly known in Tamil as Kodagasalai and in Sanskrit as Parpata. Its stem is decumbent rooting near the base, leaves are opposite decussately arranged. R. repens found growing as a shade loving weed in moist places, sides of water channels, bunds of paddy fields and also under the shadow area of coconut tree. R. repens has been said to be useful as an internal and external remedy as antipyretic, diuretic, vermifugal and applied to the scalp in cases of Tinea capitis [1,2]. 2. Experimental 2.1. Plant material Nees fresh aerial parts, collected during August 2001, from Theni districts, Tamil Nadu, India in paddy fields, sides of water channel in the shadow area of coconut tree were authenticated by Dr. D. Stephen, Taxonomist, American College, Madurai. A voucher specimen (SKBA-1) is preserved in College of Pharmacy, Srivilliputtur, Tamil Nadu. 2.2. Extraction Shade dried, powdered aerial parts were extracted with 90% ethanol. The extract was concentrated in vacuo to give a semi-solid residue (yield: 17.23% ). Preliminary phytochemical screening [3] gave positive test for flavonoids and tannins. ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: +33 2533 0880 /+33 2414 6666x2455. E-mail address: [email protected] (S.K. Basu). 0367-326X/$ - see front matter © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2005.11.007
84
S.K. Basu, R. Arivukkarasu / Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 83–85
Table 1 Effect of ethanolic extract of R. repens aerial parts on urine excretion in rats Treatment
Saline Urea R. repens extract
Dose (mg/kg p.o) – 750 300 600
Volume (ml)a
1.61 ± 0.05 2.99 ± 0.26*** 2.85 ± 0.07*** 3.42 ± 0.11***
Na+/K+
Concentration of ions (meq/l) Na+
K+
Cl−
84.52 ± 0.58 132.32 ± 1.06*** 122.36 ± 1.56** 137.11 ± 0.71***
55.71 ± 1.23 82.93 ± 0.82*** 79.39 ± 0.22*** 83.42 ± 0.93***
92.70 ± 1.06 93.49 ± 0.96* 91.85 ± 0.41* 93.13 ± 0.57**
1.51 1.59 1.54 1.64
N = 6. Values are mean ± S.E.M; *P b 0.05, ** P b 0.01, *** P b 0.001 vs saline (25 ml/kg, p.o) Student's t-test. a Collected for 5 h after treatment.
2.3. Animals Wister rats 150–200 g, and Swiss mice 25–30 g were used. They were housed in standard environmental conditions and fed with standard rodent diet with water ad libitum. 2.4. Diuretic activity The test was performed according to Lipschitz et al. [4] on male rats. The animals, fasted and deprived of water for 18 h prior to the experiment, were divided in four groups of six rats each. The first group of animals, serving as control received normal saline (25 ml/kg p.o.) the second group received urea (750 mg/kg, p.o.) in saline as a standard; the third and fourth groups received the test extract at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg, respectively, in saline. Immediately after dosing, the animals were separately placed in cages suitable for collection of urine in graduated measuring cylinders. Urines were collected for 5 h while animals were deprived of food and water. Urine volume and Na+, K+ and Cl− concentrations in the urine were determined. 2.5. Acute toxicity Mice either sex were divided into eight groups of six animals each. The control group received normal saline (2ml/kg, p.o.). The other groups received 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000, 2000 and 3000 mg/kg of test extract, respectively. Immediately after dosing, the animals were observed continuously for the first 4 h for behavior. They were then kept under observation up to 14 days after extract administration to find out the mortality. 2.6. Statistical analysis The results are expressed as mean ± S.E.M. Significance of differences between control and treated groups was determined using Student's t-test. 3. Results and discussion The ethanolic extract of R. repens aerial parts (300 and 600 mg/kg, p.o) showed significant increase of urinary concentrations of Na+ and K+ in rats (Table 1). Moreover, the extract increased the volume of urine at both dose levels. The obtained effect was comparable to that of urea (750 mg/kg, p.o). Orally administered to mice in doses from 100 to 3000 mg/kg, the ethanolic extract of R. repens produced sedation, increased urination and defecation at all tested doses. There was no mortality in any of the above mentioned doses at the end of the 14 days of observation. Although these results provide a support for the traditional uses of R. repens aerial parts, further studies are necessary to better evaluate its safety and modes of action. Acknowledgements One of the author R.Arivukkarasu, is thankful to Kalvivallal T. Kalasalingam chairman and Dr.A.Rajasekaran principal, A.K.College of Pharmacy, Krishnankoil, Srivilliputtur for providing necessary facilities to carry out this research.
S.K. Basu, R. Arivukkarasu / Fitoterapia 77 (2006) 83–85
References [1] [2] [3] [4]
Kirithikar KR, Basu BD. Indian medicinal plants, vol. 3. Dehradun: Bishen Mahendrapal Singh; 1987. p. 1907. Chopra's Indigenous drugs of India. 2nd edition, 1958. p. 523. Harbone JB. Phytochemical methods. 2nd ed. London: Chapman and Hall; 1984. Lipschitz WL, Haddian Z, Kerpscar A. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 1943;79:123.
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