PHYTOCHEMICAL INVESTIGATION AND SCREENING OF DIURETIC ACTIVITY OF EMBELLIA ROOT

The present study evaluated the diuretic potential of chloroform, methanol, and aqueous extracts of Embelia root in Wistar albino rats. The roots were authenticated, processed, and subjected to successive extraction followed by phytochemical screening, which revealed the presence of alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds. Acute oral toxicity studies indicated that all extracts were safe up to 2000 mg/kg body weight. Diuretic activity was assessed using urine volume and urinary electrolyte concentrations (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻) as primary parameters. Methanol and aqueous extracts significantly increased urinary output compared to the control group. The methanol extract produced a marked increase in sodium and potassium excretion, while the aqueous extract moderately enhanced potassium excretion. In contrast, the chloroform extract showed no significant effect on urine volume or electrolyte excretion. The enhanced diuretic activity of the methanol extract may be attributed to its higher content of flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds, which are known to influence renal function by increasing glomerular filtration rate and modulating tubular reabsorption. Overall, the findings suggest that Embelia root possesses significant diuretic activity, particularly in its methanol extract, supporting its potential therapeutic application as a natural diuretic agent. Keywords: Embelia root, urine volume, Diuretic activity,