Effects of Furosemide Diuresis on Mercuric Chloride-Induced Acute Renal Failure in the Rat

Abstract

In previous studies in rats given mercuric chloride (HgCl₂), administration of furosemide has been found to either attenuate, exacerbate, or not affect the severity of the acute renal failure (ARF) otherwise expected to obtain. In the current study in rats given large doses of furosemide and in which urinary fluid losses were replaced by intravenous infusions of saline, administration of HgCl₂ induced less severe ARF than that induced in rats not given furosemide and saline infusions. In rats not given furosemide, a diuresis induced by continuous reinfusion of urine also conferred protection against the nephrotoxic effect of HgCl₂. These findings suggest that in rats given HgCl₂: (1) diuresis per se is the critical determinant of any salutary effect of furosemide and (2) the protective effect of diuresis does not depend on renal elimination of mercury.

Beneficial Effects of the Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor Urinastatin on Renal Insults Induced by Gentamicin and Mercuric Chloride (HgCl₂) Poisoning

“…In addition, environmental pollution by heavy metals such as mercuric chloride has been known to cause renal failure in humans [20], Models of nephrotoxicity induced by gentamicin and mercuric chloride have been used extensively in laboratories in order to elucidate the pathophysiologic mechanisms of acute renal failure, and a variety of approaches have been attempted with a view to ameliorate the decrease in renal function following renal insults, with varying degrees of success [9][10][11][12]. The pathogenesis of aminoglycoside and mercuric chloride induced nephrotoxicity is not well defined, although several mechanisms have been sug gested.…”

“…Several pharmacological interventions, including amino acid, clonidine, and furosemide therapy, have, therefore, been employed [10][11][12], The GFR decreases by about 30% during the first 6 h of HgCb administration, and morphological changes become evident, being con fined in this model to the proximal nephron [35,36].…”

“…Accor dingly, certain approaches for preventing the decrease in the renal function caused by these agents have been explored [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12], Recently, the urinary trypsin inhibitor urinastatin (Miraclid) was introduced, and its protective effects have been demonstrated in experimental models of traumatic, hemorrhagic, and endotoxic shock [13][14][15].…”