I I n n t t e e r r n n a a t t i i o o n n a a l l J J o o u u r r n n a a l l o o f f P P h h a a r r m ma a S S c c i i e e n n c c e e s s Vol. 6, No. 2 (2016): 1454-1458 Research Article Open Access ISSN: 2320-6810 Preliminary phytochemical screening and diuretic activity of Periploca angustifolia L M.R.Mahmoud 1 , Fatma A. Ahmed 2 , K. Abo-EL-Sooud 3 *, Sayed A. El-Toumy 4 , Hanona S. Yaecob 2 and Hanan M. ELTantawy 2 1 Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University Cairo, Egypt. 2 Aromatic and Medicinal plants Department, Desert Research Center, Cairo, Egypt. 3 Pharmacology Department, Faculty of veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza. Egypt. 4 Chemistry of Tannins Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt. * Corresponding author: K. Abo-EL-Sooud, e-mail: kasooud@yahoo.com ABSTRACT Periploca angustifolia L is a wild plant is grown at the northwestern coast of Egypt. Traditional uses of this species drive us to evaluate the phytochemical and pharmaco-toxicological aspects of the ethanolic extract of the plant. Phytochemical screening revealed the presence of various bioactive secondary metabolites as flavonoids, phenolics, coumarins, terpenes, tannins, and sterols compounds which might be responsible for their medicinal attributes. Alkaloids, cardiac glycosides and volatile oils were not detected. The safety of ethanolic extract of Periploca angustifolia L is evidenced by the high LD50 value of the extract ȋ>5g/kgȌ. )n addition, there wasn’t significant modification in the general behavior of the animals and deaths after 72 hours post-administration. The extract (500 mg kg −1 ) orally induced a diuretic effect in rats by increasing urine output. Diuretic activity of was assessed in rats with furosemide as a standard drug using Lipschitzs test. Diuretic potency of ethanolic extract of Periploca angustifolia L was found to be 77% of furosemide as a standard drug using Lipschitzs test. Administration of ethanolic extract increased the renal excretion of Na + , K + levels without altering both ratio of Na + / K + and Cl - / Na + + K + in serum and urine of treated rats. In addition, there was no alkalization of urine and without alteration in Na + /K + ratio i.e. aldosterone secretion index. The present findings sustained the traditional use of P. angustifolia as a diuretic. Keywords: Periploca angustifolia, phytochemical, diuretic. 1. INTRODUCTION Egypt contains wide areas of desert and tropical regions that support the growing of wild plants resist those hard environment. Several wild plant species are traditionally used by local residents for treatment and cure of various diseases [1]. Periploca angustifolia Labill. from the family Asclepiadaceae is a woody perennial deciduous shrub found in the western Mediterranean coastal region of Egypt. Family Asclepiadaceae had many traditional uses as anti- inflammatory, anti-histaminic, anti-bacterial, diuretic and anti-rheumatic [2]. Correlation between the phyto- constituents and the bioactivity of plant is attractive to know for the synthesis of active compounds [3&4]. Hence, there is an urgent need for a planned utilization and preservation of our medicinal plants in their natural habitats, which contribute also to increase our reservoir of genetic materials [5]. Recently, phytochemical and pharmaco-toxicological investigations are essential guide to natural products uses as alternatives to synthetic drugs due to their perceived increased level of safety and minimal environmental impact [6]. Consequently, the objective of this study was to evaluate the phytochemical composition and diuretic efficacy of the ethanolic extract of Periploca angustifolia. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 2.1 Authentication of Plant: The whole plant parts of Periploca angustifolia L (aerial parts and roots) were collected from Salloum plateau at the northwestern coast of Egypt. The leaves were Received: 24 February 2016 Accepted: 10 March 2016 Online: 21 March 2016 http://ijps.aizeonpublishers.net/content/2016/2/ijps1454-1458.pdf 1454