OBJECTIVEIn continuation to the growing evidence for therapeutical potential of Desmostachya bipinnata (Linn) Stapf, the current pharmacological study was carried out to evaluate the diuretic and laxative activity of its hydro-alcoholic extract in rats.

METHODSThe hydro-alcoholic extract of D. bipinnata whole plant was prepared by using Soxhlet extractor and subjected to analysis by standard preliminary phytochemical tests. Evaluation of both diuretic and laxative activity was carried out using standard methods as reported earlier. Frusemide (20 mg/kg) was served as positive control for diuretic activity and sennosides (10 mg/kg) served as negative control for laxative activity.

RESULTSThe hydro-alcoholic extract showed significant diuretic activity and was found to be the most potent in increasing the urinary output at 500 mg/kg when the effect was compared with that of the standard frusemide (P<0.01). Moreover, this extract was found to be most effective in increasing urinary electrolyte concentration (Na(+), K(+), and Cl(-)) at both doses tested. Whereas the results for laxative activity showed minimal increase of feces output at the dose of 500 mg/kg and the increase was negligible when compared with that of the standard drug sennosides.

CONCLUSIONAltogether, the above significant findings validate and support its folkloric diuretic use and lend pharmacological credence to the ethno-medical use of this plant in traditional system of medicine, which demands further studies to investigate its active constituents, as well as its use and safety.