Kidney function during choline deficiency

The relationship between kidney damage and hypertension caused by choline deficiency was studied in young male rats. Excretion of a test load of NaCI solution was used as a test of kidney function and it was found that the proportion of Na+ of the test load excreted in 4 hours decreased significantly as choline deficiency progressed. K+ excretion was also depressed by about 15 per cent. Administration of ethyl trichloracetate or α methyl dopa reduced the hypertension in choline deficient rats, with increased rate of Na+ excretion with former treatment and decreased rate of excretion with the latter. Regimes of partial immersion in water had no effect in excretion rate of Na+ but reduced hypertension. Hemicholinium-3 raised blood pressure of choline supplemented rats to levels similar to that of deficient but had no effect either on blood pressure of deficient or Na + excretion in supplemented or deficient rats. Metaraminol inhibited Na+ excretion in both supplemented and deficient rats