Sodium balance of hyper- and hypo-natriophilic rats under basal conditions and during sodium deprivation.

Sodium and water balance was determined in two strains of Wistar rats selectively bred for high (hypernatriophilic, HR) or low salt preference (hyponatriophilic, HO) under basal conditions and during sodium deprivation. Male rats from each strain were selected for an average ingestion of 1.5 per cent NaCl solution of more than (HR) or less than (HO) 4 ml 100 g body weight-1 day-l, during a 10-day period. HR rats (N = 17) presented markedly higher sodium intake under basal conditions (2.983 n 0.316 mEq 100 g body weight-1 day-l) than HO rats (N = 12; 0.406 n 0,076 mEq 100 g body weight-1 day-l; Mann-Whitney test, P