Sodium appetite elicited by intracerebroventricular infusion of angiotensin II in the rat: II. Synergistic interaction with systemic mineralocorticoids.

Angiotensin and mineralocorticoids, the hormones of sodium conservation, acted together to arouse a sodium appetite with shorter latency and greater magnitude than is produced by larger amounts of each acting alone. This potentiation was selective for sodium ingestion and occurred in the absence of significant changes in sodium balance. Therefore, because endogenous angiotensin and mineralocorticoids are concurrently elevated during sodium deficiency, sodium appetite may be aroused by a synergy of the peptide and the steroid.