Influence of Reserpine and Apresoline on Renal Response to Renin and on Antidiuretic Potency of the Blood of Normal Rats

¹ From the Laboratory of Physiology, Catholic University, Santiago, Chile

The administration of reserpine to normal rats (5–10 µg/100 gm) produced diminution of diuresis. The sodium excretion was also lower in these animals and in those injected with Apresoline (0.5–1 mg/100 gm). Renin (0.5–2 rat units/100 gm) produced polyuria and increased urinary sodium excretion in all animals, but this increase was significantly smaller in the groups which received reserpine and Apresoline simultaneously. The blood from rats treated with reserpine (30 animals) and with Apresoline (14 rats), or with both (14), had a very low antidiuretic power, determined by means of Burn's test, as compared with that of the control groups. A discussion is given as to whether this is due to an inhibition of the output of antidiuretic hormone.