title: The effects of oral chloroquine administration on kidney function.
abstract: The effects of 3 consecutive days of oral chloroquine (1 mg/100 g body weight) on kidney function and blood pressure were studied in male Sprague-Dawley rats that were challenged with hypotonic saline infusion 24 h after the last chloroquine administration. The rats were anesthetized with Inactin [5 ethyl-5-(1'-methylpropyl)-2-thiobarbiturate, Byk Gulden] and continuously infused with 0.077 M NaCl for 8 h; urine flow and electrolyte excretion rates were monitored during the last 5 h. Blood pressure and glomerular filtration rates were also measured. Kidney function was compromised in chloroquine-treated rats, which retained significantly more of the infused Na+ and Cl- by comparison to control-vehicle-treated rats. Throughout the experimental period, chloroquine-treated rats exhibited low blood pressure (80 mm Hg vs. 127 mm Hg) which was associated with low glomerular filtration rate. The plasma aldosterone concentrations were significantly (p < 0.01) elevated in rats pretreated with chloroquine at the end of the 8-h infusion of hypotonic saline, but corticosterone levels were significantly (p < 0.01) lower in the treated rats. It is concluded that chloroquine administration impairs kidney function, resulting in inappropriate Na+ and Cl- retention. This effect is likely to be mediated via chloroquine-induced increases in plasma aldosterone concentration and lowering of GFR.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Zimbabwe, Harare.
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Musabayane
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ndhlovu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Balment
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000633:toxicity*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D002738:Chloroquine; D003345:Corticosterone