Studies on the adrenomedullary dependence of kappa-opioid agonist-induced diuresis in conscious rats.

1. The dependence of kappa-opioid agonist-induced diuresis, upon an intact and functional adrenal medulla in conscious rats, was investigated in order to test the hypothesis that the diuresis is mediated by a blood-borne 'diuretic factor', of adrenomedullary origin, released by kappa-opioid receptor stimulation. 2. Confirming previous observations, adrenal demedullation significantly attenuated diuretic responses to the kappa-opioid agonists U50488H, ethylketocyclazocine (EKC) and tifluadom, but did not affect basal urine output, furosemide-induced diuresis or the antidiuretic response to the mu-opioid agonist, buprenorphine. Naloxone abolished U50488H-induced diuresis, confirming an involvement of opioid receptors. 3. Transfusion studies established that blood, from intact rats treated with U50488H, induced diuresis in intact and demedullated recipient rats, whether or not the recipients had been pretreated with naloxone. However, blood from demedullated rats treated with U50448H was unable to induce diuresis when administered to intact or demedullated recipients. 4. It is concluded that kappa-opioid agonist-induced diuresis is dependent upon an intact and functional adrenal medulla and appears to be mediated by a blood-borne 'diuretic factor' of adrenomedullary origin.