Renin, water drinking, walt preference and blood pressure in alcohol preferring and alcohol avoiding rats

Mechanisms controlling fluid volume were studied in alcohol preferring AA (Alko, Alcohol) and alcohol avoiding ANA (Alko, Non-Alcohol) rats. Hypertonic sodium chloride solution (5%) given orally caused a higher dipsogenic response in AA rats than in the ANA's. One hour after ethanol loading (4.8 g/kg, by stomach tube), plasma renin activity of AA rats was four times as high as in ANA rats. ANA rats had higher degree of sodium chloride (0.9%) preference and higher blood pressure. The strain differences in voluntary salt intake and salt metabolism may modulate the consumption of calories and water as well as blood pressure and different reactivity of the renin system in AA and ANA rats.