Influence of vasoactive substances on early toxic acute renal failure in the dog

The influence of different vasoactive substances on the evolution of HgCl2-induced acute renal failure (ARF) was evaluated in the dog. HgCl2 alone caused a progressive fall in both glomerular filtration (GFR) and renal blood flow (RBF) during the first 3 h of the mercury administration (delta after 3 h: -44% and -39%) and provoked a concomitant stimulation of the renin-angiotensin (RAS) and thromboxane systems. The administration of the thromboxane inhibitor dazoxiben (2 mg/kg i.v. every 2 h) adequately inhibited the activation of the thromboxane system after HgCl2, but could not prevent the fall in GFR and RBF. The continuous intrarenal administration of the Ca2+ entry blocker verapamil (0.005 mg/kg per min) into the left kidney resulted in the prevention of the postmercurial fall in GFR and RBF at the perfusion site. This beneficial effect was immediately lost when the verapamil administration was stopped. Finally, the administration of the converting enzyme inhibitor captopril (300 micrograms/kg every 2 h) resulted in an effective inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system, the prevention of the postmercurial fall in RBF, and the partial attenuation of the fall in GFR. This beneficial effect was immediately lost after the intravenous administration of indomethacin (2 mg/kg). These results indicate that the fall in GFR after HgCl2 can be prevented by vasoactive agents such as captopril and verapamil and point at least in part to a pathophysiological role of the renin-angiotensin system or of an alteration in the equilibrium between renin-angiotensin and prostaglandins. The thromboxane system is seemingly of no major importance.