Urinary Dopamine in Man and Rat: Effects of Inorganic Salts on Dopamine Excretion

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Abstract
Plasma and urine free dopamine were measured in 6 normal male volunteer subjects and the urinary clearance of dopamine was calculated for each subject. The excretion rates for free dopamine in man were greater than could be explained by simple renal clearnace. It was concluded that free dopamine must, therefore, be formed in the kidney. Changes in urinary dopamine excretion were studied in 4 groups of rats initially maintained on a low Na diet and then given equimolar dietary supplements of NaCl, NaHCO3, KCl or NH4Cl, to study the specificity of the previously observed increase in dopamine excretion after increased dietary NaCl. The mean dopamine excretion increased significantly in rats given NaCl, KCl and NH4Cl; dopamine excretion decreased in those given NaHCO3. The failure of dopamine excretion to rise in response to loading with NaHCO3 was unexpected, and argues against a simple effect of volume expansion by Na+. The increase in dopamine excretion with KCl and NH4Cl showed that this response was not specific to Na+.