title: Responses to dehydration in the one-humped camel and effects of blocking the renin-angiotensin system.
abstract: Our objectives were to compare the levels of circulating electrolytes, hormones, and renal function during 20 days of dehydration in camels versus the level in non-dehydrated camels and to record the effect of blocking angiotensin II AT1 receptors with losartan during dehydration. Dehydration induced significant increments in serum sodium, creatinine, urea, a substantial fall in body weight, and a doubling in plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) levels. Plasma aldosterone, however, was unaltered compared with time-matched controls. Losartan significantly enhanced the effect of dehydration to reduce body weight and increase serum levels of creatinine and urea, whilst also impairing the rise in plasma AVP and reducing aldosterone levels. We conclude that dehydration in the camel induces substantial increments in serum sodium, creatinine, urea and AVP levels; that aldosterone levels are altered little by dehydration; that blockade of angiotensin II type 1 receptors enhances the dehydration-induced fall in body weight and increase in serum creatinine and urea levels whilst reducing aldosterone and attenuating the rise in plasma AVP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: Mahmoud Alhaj
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Abdu
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Adem
authors.forename: Irwin S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Chandranath
authors.forename: Sheela
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benedict
authors.forename: Javed Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Pathan
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Nagelkerke
authors.forename: Fred
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Nyberg
authors.forename: Lynley K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Tim G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Yandle
authors.forename: Gary M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: Chris M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Frampton
authors.forename: Elsadig
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kazzam
mesh_terms: D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002162:Camelus / Q000502:physiology*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003681:Dehydration / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000662:veterinary*; D019808:Losartan / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood; D014479:United Arab Emirates; D014508:Urea / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D000450:Aldosterone; D014508:Urea; D012964:Sodium; D003404:Creatinine; D019808:Losartan