Acute renal insufficiency in the rabbit by glycerol

The appearance of an acute renal insufficiency in the rabbit, after glycerol injection (10, 13 or 15 ml/kg of a 50% solution) is investigated. After a 24 hours of intoxication, especially in the ten following days, cylinders, erythrocytes and renal cells appear in the urine sediment. Proteinuria appears after 24 hours and practically disappears after 72 h. Glucosuria persists from 24 hours to 6 days. Haemoglobinuria is intense after 24 and 48 hours and persists slightly about 6 days. Na, K and Cl elimination in urine diminishes clearly in all animals. Plasma K increases in non-surviving animals and does not change in those surviving. Plasma Na does not change in the dying ones, and decreases in those surviving. In non-surviving animals, pH, pCO2 and CO3H minus decrease sharply. In the surviving ones pCO2 decreases clearly after 24 hours, increasing afterwards slowly to normal values. pH increases, slightly during the first 48 hours, and then neatly during approximately 6 days. Standard CO2H minus does not change during the first 48 hours, increasing afterwards during 6 to 7 days. Histologically, the chief lesion is a vacuolar degeneration of the proximal tubule. The possible mechanisms of such alterations are discussed.