Diuretic activity and brine shrimp toxicity of Derris trifoliata Lour.

Abstract

In the present study, ethanol extract of aerial parts of Derris trifoliata Lour was evaluated for its diuretic activity by measuring urine volume in mice and general toxicity activity by brine shrimp test (BST) as a part of pharmacological screening of this plant. Compared to control animals, the plant extracts showed significant increment on diuresis, particularly in relation to the total urine excreted in 24 hour. In BST lethality biassay, the plant extract exhibited significant toxicity towards the brine shrimp nauplii. Preliminary phytochemical analyses of the extract indicated the presence of a wide variety of natural product classes that showed significant activities in the bioassays. The overall results suggest that D. Trifoliate aerial extracts contain some active principles possessing significant diuretic and toxicity activities.