Introduction

Diuretics:

               are useful in treatment of a variety of diseases associated with abnormal retention of salt and water in the extracellular compartment of body,commonly referred to as edema .In general a diuretic is an agent that increases the rate of urine excretion by the kidneys,primarily through decreased tubular re_absorption of sodium ions and its osmotic equivalent of water in the renal tubules.Excessive fluid accumulation in the extracellular compartments may be due to cardiac failure, cirrhosis of liver, or renal disorders.

classification:

                                      1. Osmotic diuretics
                                      2. Mercurial diuretics
                                      3. Sulfonamide diuretics
                                           a). Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
                                           b). Benzothiadiazines
                                           c). Miscellaneous (chlorthalidone)
                                      4. Purine pyrimidine diuretics (Xanthines)
                                      5. Loop diuretics