THE INFLUENCE OF PLASMA ELECTROLYTE CONCENTRATION ON MERCURIAL DIURESIS IN THE DOG

¹ Department of Pharmacology, State University of New York Upstate Medical Center, Syracuse, New York

It has been shown that the mercurial induced natriuresis and chloruresis are related to the plasma sodium concentration and to the degree of positive fluid balance. Plasma sodium and chloride concentrations determined the mercurial induced increase in the urinary electrolyte concentration while the fluid balance could be related to the mercurial induced urinary volume change. By lowering plasma sodium concentration to about 80-90 mM per liter the animals became refractory to mersalyl but still responded to an injection of a toxic dose of cyanide.

On the basis of these experiments two distinct sodium reabsorptive processes have been postulated: a) a mercury-sensitive one and b) a mercury-insensitive but cyanide-sensitive one.