Phenytoin stimulates renin secretion from rat kidney slices

Phenytoin stimulated renin secretion from rat renal cortical slices. A sigmoid relationship was found between stimulatory effect and log concentration, from 1 to 8 mg/100 ml. The ED5C was 2.8 mg/100 ml. Basal secretion and the stimulation of secretion elicited by phenytoin were blocked by incubating slices in a K-free medium and by adding 1 mM ouabain to the medium (both of which inhibit Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase activity and increase intracellular Na concentration), and by reductions in the Na concentration of the incubation medium. NaCl in the incubation medium was replaced by choline chloride so that osmolality and Cl concentration were held constant. It is suggested that renin secretion rate is directly related to the transmembrane Na gradient, that phenytoin stimulates secretion by increasing the gradient, and that ouabain, K-free medium and reductions in Na concentration of the medium inhibit secretion by reducing the gradient.