Urine sodium, potassium and osmolality in two rat strains selected for their different ethanol preferences

Urine sodium, potassium and osmolality were investigated during water and ethanol diuresis in two rat strains, AA and ANA, which drink voluntarily different amounts of ethanol. At the start of each experiment the rats were in a positive water balance. During ethanol intoxication the AA strain excreted more urine than the ANA strain. In ethanol experiments the osmolality of the urine was higher in the AA strain than in the ANA strain. With ethanol amounts of 2.4 g/kg body weight and 4.8 g/kg of body weight, urinary sodium and potassium output was greater in AA rats than ANA rats. When only water was introduced urine volumes and the excretion of sodium and potassium during 180 min were greater in ANA males than in AA males.