Abstract

PEREZ MACHIN, Maykel et al. Ethnopharmacological validation of Nectandra coriacea (Sw.) Griseb. and Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam. reported as diuretics in Santa Clara municipality. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2011, vol.16, n.2, pp. 115-134. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: there are in Cuba about 179 plants that the population uses as diurectics, but the effect of the majority of them has not been experimentally confirmed. Objective: to verify the pharmacological effect attributed to medicinal plants reported as diuretics, whose effect has not been validated yet. Methods: a two-phase ethnopharmacological study was conducted in Santa Clara municipality: ehnopharmacological identification and in vivo evaluation of the diuretic action of the most reported plants whose preclinical validation was not confirmed. The ethnopharmacological research study was developed in several places of the refered municipality, using a heterogenous sample made up of different sampling groups. On the basis of the two identified species that have not been experimentally validated, 30% decoctions were prepared and orally administered at a dose of 400 mg/kg, based on the determination of total solid content, to male albine rats weighing 170 to 210 g. The dose was completed with physiological saline solution to reach hydrosaline overload with constant total volume of administration equals to 40 mL/kg PV for both the treated groups and the controls (positive, furosemide at 20 mg/kg and hydrochlorotiazide at 10 mg/kg, and negative controls, 0.9 % sodium chloride). Excreted urine volumen were measured at half and hour, one hour, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 hours after the administration and the electrolyte concentrations in the total collected urine at 24 hours. Results: fourteen plants reported by the population were identified according to their use as diuretics. Ten of them presented with significant level of use over 30% whereas 2 lacked their effect validated (Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam. and Nectandra coriacea (Sw.) Griseb. It was observed that the groups treated with both plants increased the urine volume when compared to the negative control group; being the C. bahamensis action more remarkable. Conclusions: both plants had diuretic effect at 400 mg/kg dose. The action of C. bahamensis was very similar to that of furosemide, whereas the N. coriacea activity was more similar to that of tiazides.

Keywords : medicinal plants; diuretics; rats; Caesalpinia bahamensis Lam; Nectandra coriacea Sw; Griseb.

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