Kidney function in spontaneously hypertensive rats under minoxidil treatment

In 25 spontaneously hypertensive rats the blood pressure was lowered from 192 +/- 11.6 to 130 +/- 11.7 mm Hg and in 26 normotensive Wistar rats from 129 +/- 9.1 to 107 +/- 6.7 mm Hg by applying 1 mg/kg body weight minoxidil twice a day orally. 19 spontaneously hypertensive and 21 normotensive rats served as untreated control groups. During the treatment the glomerular filtration rate, determined by the slope clearance of Tc-99m-DTPA, remained unchanged. Under maximal water diuresis the excretion fraction of sodium was diminished compared with the control data. The Na+ and water reabsorption was increased in the proximal tubules (not an aldosterone effect) only in the treated spontaneously hypertensive rats. The potassium clearance was increased in this group, but decreased in the treated normotensive group. The different reactions of the renal tubular function to the treatment with minoxidil in spontaneously hypertensive compared with normotensive rats were discussed in connection with changes of membrane transport in essential hypertension.