Diuretic Activity of Fruit Extract of Xanthium strumarium L in Albino Rats

Objective: The present study is an attempt to investigate the diuretic effect of fruit extracts, phytochemical screening, isolation and identification of phytoconstituents from petroleum ether, benzene, chloroform, alcohol and aqueous extracts of Xanthium strumarium.

Materials and methods: The animals were divided into four groups each. Group-I was treated only with normal saline solution and serve as control. Group-II was received furosemide at a dose of 5 mg/Kg, p.o. and it was considered as positive control group. Group-III&Group-IV received the petroleum ether extract (PEE) at doses of 250 and 500mg/Kg, p.o. respectively. After oral administration of PEE, the urinary output of each group was recorded at different time intervals from the graduated urine chamber at metabolic cage. The volume of urine collected was measured at the end of 5 h.

Results: We observed a potent diuretic and electrolyte activity in petroleum ether extract of Xanthium strumarium L fruits. The Diuretic activity was not observed in chloroform and alcoholic extracts.