DRINKING IN SODIUM-DEPLETED RATS WITH BILE-DUCT, VENA-CAVA OR PORTAL-VEIN OBSTRUCTION

The authors investigated whether a depletion of sodium with furosemide enhanced the water and 0.3 M NaCl intakes of rats with experimental c holestasis, portal hypertension or congestive heart failure. These wer e induced, respectively, by bile duct Ligation (BDL), portal vein cons triction or vena cava constriction. BDL alone increased daily saline i ntake. In BDL rats, but not in sham-ligated controls, experience with a prior depletion of sodium enhanced the 2-h saline intake and the ret ention of water and sodium after a subsequent depletion. Chronic cava constriction, but not portal constriction, enhanced sodium intake and retention after sodium depletion during a 2-h test and enhanced water intake overnight after the test. The results suggest that the ingestio n of sodium by BDL and cava-constricted rats may share a common mechan ism. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.