Abstract

From the above experiments it will be seen that the effects of the nitrate and the nitrite ions on the ureter are very different. The nitrate effect is slightly stimulating and is not toxic; the nitrite effect, on the other hand, is rapidly toxic and paralyzes the ureteral preparations without completely relaxing them. The ureter is killed and remains in a moderately contracted condition. Such an effect is obviously not a desirable one and if the same conditions hold good clinically the value of nitrites in counteracting ureteral spasms is nil. A search through clinical literature by the author has failed to reveal any cases of renal colic successfully treated by the use of nitrites.