The comparative potency of mercurial diuretics using human bio-assay techniques

Abstract 1. 1. The factors influencing the response to a mercurial diuretic have been studied in a patient without congestive heart failure under metabolically controlled conditions. The responses of the excretion rate of sodium, chloride, and water and the change in weight are distinctly dependent upon dietary sodium. The response to a single diuretic agent, diglucomethoxane (Mersoben), is also distinctly dependent on dose. 2. 2. By use of the analysis of variance, the computation of potency estimation, with its fiducial limits for each response observed, is possible. Statistical efficiency is improved when the potency estimation is calculated from the responses in sodium (or chloride) excretion rather than from the responses in weight change. 3. 3. Thus, in order to evaluate satisfactorily the comparative potency of the various diuretic agents, the patients must receive an identical sodium content diet and have the same water load (they need not be in congestive failure), and the observations should include the excretion of sodium (or chloride). 4. 4. The potency estimations of the various drugs when related to meralluride (Mercuhydrin) as the standard drug, using sodium as the function tested, were as follows: parenteral chlormerodrin (Neohydrin), 3.3; diglucomethoxane (Mersoben), 1.3; mercaptomerin (Thiomerin), 0.6; and oral chlormerodrin (Neohydrin), 0.5.