title: Effect of salt deprivation on blood pressure in rats.
abstract: In most cases blood pressure (BP) is directly related to NaCl intake. In some studies, BP is increased by low salt intake. The effect of Na and Cl deprivation or selective Na deprivation on BP in the normotensive Sprague-Dawley rat was investigated. In study 1, rats were uninephrectomized and fed low NaCl, normal NaCl, or low Na-normal Cl for 3 wk. BP was higher (P less than 0.05) in rats fed low NaCl and low Na-normal Cl than normal NaCl. Plasma renin activity was stimulated by low NaCl intake but was not different between the other two groups. After captopril treatment, BP was lower in the low NaCl group (73.1 +/- 3.6 mmHg) than in the normal-NaCl (99.2 +/- 6.7 mmHg) or low Na-normal Cl (92.0 +/- 6.7 mmHg) groups. In study 2, intact rats (n = 8 per group) were fed low (less than 0.01%), normal (1%), or high NaCl (4%) for 1 wk. BP and heart rate were higher in the low-NaCl group (P less than 0.05) than in the other two groups. Plasma volumes were not different among the groups. In study 3, two groups of eight rats were given either low NaCl or 2% NaCl for 2 wk. BP (131.4 +/- 3.6 mmHg) and heart rate (402 +/- 11 beats/min) were higher in the low-NaCl group than in the 2% NaCl group (121.1 +/- 3.2 mmHg and 369 +/- 9 beats/min, respectively). In the normotensive Sprague-Dawley rat, low NaCl intake elevated BP when compared with normal or high NaCl intake. Part of the increase in the uninephrectomized, Cl-supplemented group is not dependent on the renin-angiotensin system.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40536.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Welch
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Lorenz
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Whitescarver
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kotchen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004039:Diet, Sodium-Restricted; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000378:metabolism; D006339:Heart Rate; D009392:Nephrectomy; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004573:Electrolytes; D002216:Captopril; D012083:Renin