EVALUATION OF DIURETIC EFFECT OF LYCIUM BARBARUM LINN. (GOJI BERRY) IN RATS

Wolf berries or Goji berries (Lycium barbarum L. Solanaceae) have a long tradition as food and medicinal plant. The bark of Goji berries is generally harvested in the winter season and then dried to be used for diuretic purposes. Hence, this study was designed to evaluate the possible diuretic effects of powdered L. barbarum. The study was conducted in saline primed Wistar albino rats (n=6) using frusemide (10 mg/kg) as the reference diuretic drug with two oral doses, 250mg/kg/day and 500mg/kg/day, of the test drug. Urine volume and electrolytes (Sodium, Potassium and Chloride) excretion was estimated at the end of 24 hours and data was analyzed by ANOVA followed by Dunnett's test. P < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. L. barbarum statistically increased the volume of urine (8.08 +/- 0.35ml/100g/24hr and 10.05 +/- 0.51ml/100gm/24hr) in a dose dependent manner. There was a statistical significant increase in sodium ion excretion (143.17 +/- 9.5 m.mol/L at 250mg/kg and 182 +/- 8.25 m. mol/L at 500ml/kg) when compared to the normal control (107 +/- 2.11 m. mol/L). However, there was a statistically significant decrease in potassium ion excretion (47.17 +/- 4.1 m. mol/L and 30.17 +/- 2.4 m. mol/L) when compared to the control (55 +/- 4.1 m. mol/L). To conclude, these findings suggest that L. barbarum possesses diuretic activity and further studies elucidating mechanism of action are warranted.