Effect of diuretics on energy metabolism.

Abstract The effects of diuretics (amiloride-HCl, hydrochlorothiazide, acetazoleamide, ethacrynic acid and chlormerodrin) on the electron transfer system and ATP formation system have been investigated with rat kidney. Chlormerodrin and ethacrynic acid not only suppressed O 2 uptake of renal slices and renal cortical mitochondria, but also inhibited the respiration which had been accelerated by 2,4-DNP with renal cortical mitochondria. Furthermore, the observed P:O ratio was slightly decreased by both the diuretics. These results suggest that chlormerodrin and ethacrynic acid mainly have an inhibitory action upon the electron transfer system and an effect of reducing the efficiency of ATP formation in part.