Two inhibitors of angiotensin-converting enzyme, enalapril and captopril, increase salt appetite of rats.
Male rats were orally administered an inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), N-[(S)-1-(ethoxycarbonyl)-3-phenylpropyl]-1-ala-1-pro maleate (enalapril, MK-0421) at dosage levels of 10, 30, and 90 mg/kg X d. After 2-6 wk of dosing, the rats receiving 30 and 90 mg/kg X d produced large numbers of seminal plugs and had lacerated penises due to licking in an attempt to recover urine. Providing 0.9% saline as the source of drinking water prevented this behavior and subsequent lesions. There were no adverse effects on reproductive performance. A subsequent study showed that enalapril at 5 mg/kg X d po and captopril (another ACE inhibitor) at 25 mg/kg X d po increased NaCl intake in rats. Our results with captopril confirm those of Fregly (1980) and Evered and Robinson (1983) and show that both converting-enzyme inhibitors (enalapril and captopril) increase salt appetite in rats.
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000818:Animals; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004151:Dipeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004326:Drinking / Q000187:drug effects*; D004656:Enalapril; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011392:Proline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects; D012965:Sodium Chloride
D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D004151:Dipeptides; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D004656:Enalapril; D011392:Proline; D002216:Captopril