Mja. Rocha et al., EFFECTS OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS OF PORTULACA-PILOSA AND ACHYROCLINE-SATUREIOIDES ON URINARY SODIUM AND POTASSIUM EXCRETION, Journal of ethnopharmacology, 43(3), 1994, pp. 179-183
Portulaca pilosa has been used in Brazil as a traditional remedy to ca
use diuresis, antipyresis and analgesia. Achyrocline satureioides has
been used in folk medicine as antiinflammatory, hypoglycemic, sedative
and to treat gastrointestinal disorders such as diarrhea and dysenter
y suggesting that it may affect salt and water reabsorption by the gas
trointestinal tract. In the current study, hydroalcoholic extracts of
both plants were investigated in order to examine their renal effects.
The results support the claim that extracts of P. pilosa present rena
l effects but not the popular belief that it affects diuresis. It has
also been proved that, in rats, it causes an increase in K excretion w
ithout a concomitant change in water diuresis or Na excretion. Our fin
dings also support the popular belief that A. satureioides does not ap
parently have renal effects and it might change renal ion transport ba
sed on observations that it affects gastrointestinal reabsorption.