PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND NEPROPROTECTIVE ACTIVITY OF CITRUS MAXIMA

Several plants with medicinal properties are used to treat diseases. Many rely on traditional medicines, chiefly plant-based, for there major health care needs. The wide biological and medicinal properties, higher safety margins and affordability, make plant-based medicines attractive for usein developing countries for primary health care. Citrus maxima belongs to the family of Rutaceae The phytochemical screening showed the presence of alkaloids, terpenoids, sterol’s,flavonoids and carbohydrates. But it does not contain tannins. In the present study, it was observed that treatment with gentamicin induced a significant elevation in the levels of serum urea, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, serum urea and weight of kidney. However, daily treatment with Citrus maximus for 8 days conferred nephroprotection on gentamicin induced rats in a dose dependent fashion offered maximum protection.

Keywords: Citrus Maxima, Gentamycin, Phytochemical screening, nephroprotective activity