Possible correction of thiazide-induced hypokalemia with co-administration of date palm fruits with hydrochlorothiazide in rats

Background: Thiazide diuretics are one of the most effective, least expensive antihypertensive medicines, however, they are associated with hypokalemia, which can complicate the outcome of care among hypertensive patients. The concurrent administration of a potassium-rich food such as date palm fruits (DPFs) could be an attractive strategy in ameliorating thiazide-induced hypokalemia. The objective of this preliminary study was to investigate the effect of concurrent administration of DPF with hydrochlorothiazide (HCT), a thiazide diuretic on serum potassium level and lipid profile. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six rats were used for this study and were divided into 6 experimental groups comprising control (normal saline), DPF only, HCT, 25 mg/kg plus HCT, 50 mg/kg plus HCT, and 100 mg/kg plus HCT. Animals were dosed daily for 4 weeks and at the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected and allowed to cloth. Subsequently serum were analyzed for potassium levels and lipid profile. Results: Results showed that DPFs produced significant weight loss compared to the control and HCT only groups. Furthermore, serum potassium levels were increased abolishing hypokalemia produced by HCT in all the combination treatments. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels were all attenuated by concurrent treatment with DPFs and HCT. Conclusion: Therefore, the present study demonstrates that co-administration of DPFs with HCT restored serum potassium levels in rats and hence alleviated the attendant HCT-induced hypokalemia.