Effect of intraventricular administration of noradrenaline on water diuresis in goats

Duriing water diuresis in conscious goats, noradrenaline (NA), its antagonists phentolamine, phenoxybenzamine and propranolol and also atropine were administered into the 3rd ventricle. The subsequent effects on water diuresis and on the excretion rates of Na+, K+ and Cl- were investigated. Infusion of NA into the 3rd ventricle induced a strong and significant antidiuretic response and a decrease in the Na+ : K+ excretion ratio; these effects were dose-dependent. High doses of NA produced a significant increase in urinary K+ excretion. Similar results were observed after i.v. administration of arginine-vasopressin. Pretreatment with phentolamine injected into the 3rd ventricle produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the NA-induced antidiuretic effects. Phenoxybenzamine also blocked the response to NA but a dose-response relationship was not apparent. Atropine and propranolol did not block the response to NA.