Renal and vascular studies of aqueous extract of Urtica dioica in rats and rabbits

K.F Dizaye,S.R Sulaiman,B.O Alberzingi

doi:10.33899/ijvs.2013.82948

Abstract

Urtica dioica has a variety of uses in traditional medicine for genitourinary ailments kidney disorders, allergies, diabetes, anemia, gastrointestinal tract ailments, musculoskeletal aches and alopecia. However, only a few of these uses have scientific bases that support their clinical uses. This study was done to evaluate some of the in vivo and in vitro pharmacological actions of this plant. Eighteen local domestic rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were used for in vitro studies (effect of the plant extract on isolated pulmonary arteries and isolated urinary bladder smooth muscle) and in vivo studies (effect of the extract on renal function). Six male albino rats were used for studying the effects of the plant extract on blood pressure and heart rate. Urtica dioica extract produced a significant increase in urine volume and urinary Na + excretion without significant changes in K

Highlights

Urtica dioica is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant, of family Urticaceae and genus Urtica
In vivo studies Effect of furosemide on the renal function of the rabbit The intravenous injection of 0.3 mg/kg of furosemide produced a significant increase in urine flow that reached maximum after 30 min and its effect progressively decreased, but its diuretic effect still remained after 90 min, as seen in (Table 1)
The hypotensive result could be explained by the diuretic property of the plant extract [39], while further studies are needed to elucidate the mechanism of decreasing heart rate or the hypotensive and bradycardial effect might be due to presence of a Beta-1 antagonistic substances in the constituent of this plant

Summary

Introduction

Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) is an herbaceous perennial flowering plant, of family Urticaceae and genus Urtica. Nettle contains the many compounds including polysaccharids, vitamin C, carotene, betasitosterol, the flavonoids quercetin, rutin, kaempferol, and trans-ferulic acid, dotriacotane, ursolic acid, scopoletin, rutin, and p-hydroxylbenzalcohol [2,3]. It is believed that Nettle is a galactagogue [4] can reduce TNF-α and other inflammatory cytokines [5,6]. Nettle root extracts have been extensively studied in human clinical trials as a treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia [7]. Nettle has been used for a variety of diseases including genitourinary ailments (nocturia, frequency, dysuria, urinary retention, irritable bladder, and infections), kidney disorders, allergies, diabetes, internal bleeding (including uterine bleeding, epistaxis, and melena), anemia, GI tract ailments (diarrhea and dysentery, and gastric hyperacidity), musculoskeletal aches, osteoarthritis, and alopecia. Only few of these uses have scientific bases that

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