Male guinea-pigs were studied in individual metabolism cages for 6–12 weeks before, and for 13 weeks after, subcutaneous implantation of stilboestrol (15 mg). They were fed on cabbage and either normal pelleted diet (SG1) or sodium-enriched SG1, and had access to either water or to water and 0·86% saline. In all, 42 control and experimental animals were studied and renal function tests were made at 3-week intervals in 18 of them.
The treated animals lost appetite and weight but increased their fluid intake; they showed a preference for saline when this was available and, in doing so, reduced their polydipsia. Fluid and sodium balances were unaffected. The increased sodium appetite, whether satisfied or not, was accompanied by a fall in faecal sodium excretion and a rise in faecal potassium excretion. Renal function tests in themselves also produced some increase in sodium appetite, but no changes in faecal electrolyte excretion. These results suggest strongly that the mechanisms involved in the stimulation of sodium appetite by stilboestrol and renal function tests are different, partly because of the differences mentioned above, but also because the effects of the two procedures when combined were almost exactly additive.
The increased sodium appetite of the treated animals was not explicable by changes in renal function: inulin and creatinine clearances were only slightly reduced and concentrating ability unimpaired. This increased appetite may well be the result of adrenocortical stimulation by stilboestrol acting via extrarenal means.
No change in potassium appetite was observed, possibly because the potassium content of the diet was in excess of requirement. There was a seasonal variation in potassium balance which was lowest in summer in control and treated animals.
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