CARDIORENAL ABNORMALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH SODIUM INTAKE: CORRECTION BY SPIRONOLACTONE IN RATS

Reversal by the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist spironolactone on cardiac and renal abnormalities, associated with long-term (since weaning) administration of a high (2 and 8% NaCl chow, HS2 and HS8) sodium diet, was assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats. At the age of 5 mo, spironolactone (20 or 100 mg/kg, gavage) or placebo were given for 14 days to HS2 and HS8 rats. A group fed a regular diet (0.8% NaCl, NS) remained untreated. High sodium intake had no detectable effect on blood pressure; however, cardiac mass index and cross-sectional area of the carotid artery, as well as albuminuria, were increased only in the HS8 group compared with the control group on NS diet. In addition, a marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate (by 40%), associated with a nonproportional fall in renal plasma flow (thus resulting in a decrease in filtration fraction), was observed only in the HS8 group. No change in cardiac and renal fibrosis was detected. Production of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) by aortic tissue...