The half-lives of angiotensin II, angiotensin II-amide, angiotensin III, Sar1-Ala8-angiotensin II and renin in the circulatory system of the rat.

1. Methods are described for estimating the half-life of angiotensin analogues and renin in the rat, from the time course of the blood pressure changes they evoke. 2. The following half-life values were measured: angiotensin II, 16 +/- 1 sec; angiotensin III, 14 +/- 1 sec; angiotensin II-amide, 15 +/- 1 sec; Sar1-Ala8-angiotensin II, 6.4 +/- 0.6 min; renin, 3.0 +/- 0.4 min. The distribution volume of angiotensin was found to be 18 ml./kg body wt. 3. It is inferred that the Asp1 residue does not reduce the rate of angiotensin II catabolism, but that substitution of this residue by sarcosine may inhibit catabolism while substitution by asparagine has no effect. 4. Five experimental criteria were identified which indicate that these methods give reliable estimates of the half-life. It is suggested that these results are more accurate than most previous half-life estimates. 5 When tachyphylaxis to angiotensin II-amide occurs, the pressor activity of the plasma is not reduced.