Effect of some simple manoeuvres on the course of acute renal failure after gentamycin treatment in rats.

For a period of 5 days, Wistar rats received Gentamycin (G), 100 mg/kg b.w./day i.m. Three days after the last injection, the rats were sacrificed and the plasma concentrations of urea (PU) and creatinine (PCr) were determined. Both values were significantly higher than in the control rats receiving vehicle only. The increase was substantially greater in females than in males. The rats drinking isotonic NaCl solution instead of water 7 days prior to G showed near normal PU and PCr values; drinking of NaHCO3 had a similar protective effect. Isotonic sucrose solution was without any influence. The rats drinking Ca gluconate or NH4Cl solutions had similar or higher PU and PCr values as rats drinking water, but their body weight and overall condition markedly deteriorated. Brattleboro rats with diabetes insipidus exhibited a very similar course as Wistar rats; there was also no significant difference between the former and their heterozygous non-insipidic litter mates.