THE ACTION OF MERCURIAL DIURETICS ON URINARY SODIUM CONCENTRATION AND URINE VOLUME

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

An attempt was made to separate the effects of the mercurial diuretic mersalyl on urine volume and urinary sodium concentration. By using small graded doses of mersalyl it was possible to increase the urinary sodium concentration without affecting urine volume. This effect of the mercurial could be reversed with 2,3 dimercaptopropanol.

A large dose of the mercurial produced both urinary sodium concentration and urine volume changes. By injecting small doses of BAL it was possible to reverse the mercurial induced volume change with no decrease in the mercurial induced sodium concentration changes. An increase in the dosage of BAL also reversed these concentration changes. In the light of these experiments it is postulated that mercurials act on renal sodium concentration controlling mechanisms and on urine volume.