Amiloride effect on diurnal cyclic Na and K excretion in rats

Amiloride was administered to rats during the peak and minimum of Na and K diurnal rhythmic excretion (i.e., during early dark phase and early light phase). In rats receiving a normal-K diet (2.34 meq/day) amiloride decreased K excretion from 186 to 37 mueq/h (dark phase) and from 31 to 4 mueq/h (light phase). Amiloride increased Na excretion from 91 to 344 mueq/h (dark phase) and from 35 to 164 mueq/h (light phase). Rats receiving a high-K diet (10.4 meq/day) showed a higher diurnal peak and minimum for K excretion. During high-K intake, amiloride decreased K excretion from 787 to 191 mueq/h (dark phase) and from 197 to 40 mueq/h (light phase) and increased Na excretion from 237 to 891 mueq/h (dark phase) and from 31 to 222 mueq/h (light phase). Whenever given, amiloride reduced K excretion to approximately 20% of control excretion. It is concluded that rhythmic changes in amiloride-sensitive distal transport are largely, but not entirely, responsible for the diurnal K cycle, but do not cause the concurrent Na cycle. Thus the diurnal cycles in Na and K are expressed through changes in different transport mechanisms. In rats maintained on a high-K diet there is an increase in rhythmic K secretion and Na reabsorption by amiloride-sensitive transport. To maintain Na excretion unchanged, Na reabsorption must be correspondingly depressed at an amiloride-insensitive site.