Effect of volume loading with water, normal saline, palm wine and lipton tea on urinary output, pH, specific gravity, sodium and potassium concentrations in human subjects

Abstract

A comparative study of the diuretic effect of water, normal saline, palm wine and Lipton tea was carried out on forty (40) randomly selected, apparently normal undergraduate students of Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Uyo, Nigeria. One and a half (1.5) litres of water, normal saline, palm wine and Lipton tea were given on separate days to the same subjects. The subjects were made to void their bladder before ingesting these substances and the urine sample collected was taken as control sample at the time zero. Thereafter, all the subjects emptied their bladder hourly for 3 hours. The urinary output, pH, specific gravity, sodium and potassium concentrations were determined. The results showed that water, palm wine and Lipton tea produced diuresis. Normal saline did not. Reduction of specific gravity and pH of urine accompanied these diuretic effects. Administration of normal saline and Lipton tea caused natriuresis. Potassium sparing diuresis was seen with Lipton tea and palm wine, whereas, water diuresis led to increased levels of potassium in urine. Volume loading with the above substances affected not only urinary output but also renal handling of sodium and potassium ions.