title: The effect of ammonium chloride on hepatic and renal metabolism in the rat.
abstract: The metabolic effects of an ammonium salt on the liver and kidney were investigated. Rats were allowed free access to a 0.28 M ammonium chloride (NH4Cl) solution for 7- and 8-day periods. Serum urea concentration was significantly increased after 8 days of NH4Cl ingestion. However the following hepatic urea cycle enzymes remained unchanged: CPS, OTC, ASS and ASL. The pattern of urinary urea excretion was variable. When the data for the 7-day period were pooled, there was no significant difference between the control and acidotic groups. However, when they were examined on a daily basis, acidosis significantly decreased urea excretion on day 2. Urea excretion then began to increase, reached the control value on day 4 and was significantly greater than the control value on day 7. Urinary ammonium excretion of the acidotic group was significantly increased on day 2 and continued to rise throughout the 7-day period. Renal phosphate-dependent glutaminase of the acidotic group was significantly increased on the eighth day. These data indicate that NH4Cl ingestion alters the pattern of urea excretion in a manner not previously demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Department, University College, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: A L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lardner
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: O'Donovan
mesh_terms: D000138:Acidosis / Q000378:metabolism; D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D005972:Glutaminase / Q000378:metabolism; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*
chemical_list: D000643:Ammonium Chloride; D014508:Urea; D005972:Glutaminase