Evaluation of diuretic and laxative activity of hydro-alcoholic extract of Desmostachya bipinnata(L.) Stapf in rats

OBJECTIVE： In continuation to the growing evidence for therapeutical potential of Desmostachya bipinnata （Linn） Stapf, the current pharmacological study was carried out to evaluate the diuretic and laxative activity of its hydro-alcoholic extract in rats. METHODS： The hydro-alcoholic extract of D. bipinnata whole plant was prepared by using Sox- hlet extractor and subjected to analysis by standard preliminary phytochemical tests. Evaluation of both diuretic and laxative activity was carried out using standard methods as reported earlier. Frusemide （20 mg/kg） was served as positive control for diuretic activity and sennosides （10 mg/kg） served as negative control for laxative activity. RESULTS： The hydro-alcoholic extract showed significant diuretic activity and was found to be the most potent in increasing the urinary output at 500 mg/kg when the effect was compared with that of the standard frusemide （P〈0.01）. Moreover, this extract was found to be most effective in increasing urinary electrolyte concentration （Na＋, K＋, and Cl-） at both doses tested. Whereas the results for laxative activity showed minimal increase of feces output at the dose of 500 mg/kg and the increase was negligible when compared with that of the standard drug sennosides. CONCLUSION： Altogether, the above significant findings validate and support its folkloric diuretic use and lend pharmacological credence to the ethno-medical use of this plant in traditional system of medicine, which demands further studies to investigate its active constituents, as well as its use and safety.

Transmission FTIR derivative spectroscopy for estimation of furosemide in raw material and tablet dosage form

A Fourier transform infrared derivative spectroscopy(FTIR-DS)method has been developed for determining furosemide(FUR)in pharmaceutical solid dosage form.The method involves the extraction of FUR from tablets with N,N-dimethylformamide by sonication and direct measurement in liquid phase mode using a reduced path length cell.In general,the spectra were measured in transmission mode and the equipment was configured to collect a spectrum at 4 cm^(-1) resolution and a 13 s collection time(10 scans co-added).The spectra were collected between 1400 cm^(-1) and 450 cm^(-1).Derivative spectroscopy was used for data processing and quantitative measurement using the peak area of the second order spectrum of the major spectral band found at 1165 cm^(-1)(SO_(2) stretching of FUR)with baseline correction.The method fulfilled most validation requirements in the 2 mg/mL and 20 mg/mL range,with a 0.9998 coefficient of determination obtained by simple calibration model,and a general coefficient of variation <2%.The mean recovery for the proposed assay method resulted within the(100±3)%over the 80%–120% range of the target concentration.The results agree with a pharmacopoeial method and,therefore,could be considered interchangeable.