The Action of Certain Diuretics on the Function of the Kidney as Measured by the Urea Clearance Test.

A study of certain representative diuretics on renal function, as measured by the urea clearance test, has been undertaken to determine whether these substances have an accelerating or retarding action on the excretion of urea. Practically, it seemed important to know whether studies of kidney function may be carried out, without interference, during the often necessary administration of diuretics, or following the customary breakfast with coffee. Addis and Drury (1) found that the maximum clearance was increased by the ingestion of caffeine albeit to a small degree. We have selected caffeine and diuretin as representative of the xanthine diuretics and salyrgan as representative of the organic mercury diuretics for this study.