Abstract

ISEA FERNANDEZ, Gerardo Alberto; RODRIGUEZ RODRIGUEZ, Ilsen Emérita; SANCHEZ CAMARILLO, Egar Enrique  and  GIL ARAUJO, Marcelo Antonio. Dose-response assessment of the diuretic effect in a pericarp aqueous extract of Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus Ser.. Rev Cubana Plant Med [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.3, pp. 405-411. ISSN 1028-4796.

Introduction: research was conducted to determine the dose-response of melon pericarp, validate its use in traditional medicine in Venezuela and promote its rational use as a medicinal plant, through scientific knowledge. Objective: to assess the dose-response diuretic effect of the shell of the fruit of Cucumis melo var. reticulatus Ser. in rats. Methods: fresh fruit pericarp was liquefied and placed in saline solution for 48 hours to strain it later. Oral doses of 1, 3 and 6 mL/300g were administered, compared with a respective control group, and the volume of urine produced an hour later was measured. Results: the first dose had no diuretic effect in any case. Urinary excretion of the two higher doses differed from their respective control group. The groups treated with aqueous extract at 3 and 6 mL were different among them, as well as the control groups in those volumes. No difference was found in the diuretic action. The study found a dose-response of nonlinear regression. Conclusions: there is a clear dose-response relationship based on urinary excretion after administration of the aqueous extract of melon shell, which supports its use as a diuretic in traditional medicine in Venezuela.

Keywords : diuretic; melon; medicinal plants; Cucumis melo L; dose-response relationship.

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