[Chronic renal failure and guanidino compounds].

Guanidino compounds are known as uremic toxins which increase in the blood of patients with renal failure. Guanidino succinic acid (GSA) and methyl guanidine (MG) have been intensively studied since they are toxic and are candidate markers which reflect the pathological stage of nephritis. GSA correlates well with blood urea nitrogen and therefore indicates the reduction of renal function. MG does not appear in the early stage of renal failure and abruptly increases at the stage of serious uremia. MG is produced by the oxidation of creatinine (CTN) with active oxygen. The MG/CTN ratio in the serum therefore reflects the degree of the generation of active oxygen. Accordingly, active oxygen scavengers may be useful for the treatment of uremia.