EVALUATION OF LEUCAS ASPERA WHOLE PLANT EXTRACTS FOR DIURETIC AND LAXATIVE PROPERTY

ABSTRACTObjective: This study was undertaken to investigate diuretic and laxative potency of Leucas aspera whole plant.Methods: The dried whole plant (leaves, stems, and flowers) material was subjected to extraction by continuous hot percolation method. Inevaluation of diuretic activity male albino rats were used as the experimental animals. The first group of animals, serving as control, received normalsaline (25 ml/kg, post-operative); the second group received furosemide (10 mg/kg, post-operative) in saline. Other groups received doses of extract(200-400 mg/kg) in normal saline. The parameters determined were total urine volume, the concentration of Na(chloride) in the urine. Na+ and K+ concentrations were determined by flame photometer, and Cl−+(sodium), K concentration was estimated by titrimetric method.Laxative activity was also studied using male albino rats. The animal groups were administered orally either with vehicle (1% Tween-80 solution innormal saline, 25 ml/kg), reference standard drug, agar-agar (300 mg/kg, post-operative) in saline or doses of extract (200-400 mg/kg). After 8 h ofdrug treatment, the feces were collected and weighed.Results: This study revealed that L. aspera whole plant extracts possesses significant diuretic and laxative activity in comparison with the standarddrugs. The activity may be due to the chemical constituent present in the plant parts. The further studies may be taken up to isolate these activeconstituents.Conclusion: L. aspera whole plant possesses diuretic and laxative property since it contains a variety of phytoconstituents.Keywords: Leucas aspera, Diuretics activity, Lipchitz method, Laxative activity, Furosemide, Agar-agar.+(potassium), and Clâˆ

Isolated sleep paralysis

Sleep paralysis (SP) is a cardinal symptom of narcolepsy. However, little is available in the literature about isolated sleep paralysis. This report discusses the case of a patient with isolated sleep paralysis who progressed from mild to severe SP over 8 years. He also restarted drinking alcohol to be able to fall asleep and allay his anxiety symptoms. The patient was taught relaxation techniques and he showed complete remission of the symptoms of SP on follow up after 8 months