Abstract

DIURETIC ACTIVITY OF KAEMPFERIA GALANGA LINN RHIZOME EXTRACT IN ALBINO RAT

Shan P. Mohammad*, Dr. Jyoti Harindran, Kannaki K.S. and Revathy R.

ABSTRACT

The present study aims to evaluate the diuretic activity of the petroleum ether extract of Kaempferia galaga Linn in animal models using Lipschitz method. Kaempferia galanga Linn from Zingiberaceae family is often used in manufacture of traditional medicine. The leaves and rhizomes of Kaempferia galanga is reported to have traditional use as aromatic, carminative, stimulant, diuretic and expectorant. There are no previous references in literature about any studies done on diuretic activity. So the present work was aimed to investigate the diuretic activity of Kaempferia galanga rhizome extract. The petroleum ether extract of Kaempferia. galanga rhizomes were prepared by soxhlet extraction. Preliminary phytochemical investigation showed the presence of triterpinoids, sterols, resins, glycosides and volatile oil. The pharmacological evaluation of the drug for diuretic activity was performed on healthy wistar rat of either sex by Lipschitz method, using Furosemide as the standard drug. Here 4 groups, each containing 6 rats were selected and each group received control (CMC1%), standard (Furosemide 10mg/kg), tests of 200mg/kg and 400mg/kg respectively. The total volume of urine excreted in 24 hrs was collected for the assessment of diuretic activity. Sodium and potassium level of the urine sample were also estimated. The results are expressed as “Lipschitz value” (diuretic index) and the value of 1 or more suggested that, the extract shows dose dependent increase in urine volume. Therefore the results obtained in this study provide a quantitative basis to explain the traditional folkloric use of Kaempferia galanga as a diuretic agent.

Keywords: Kaempferia galanga, Diuretic activity. Lipschitz value.