1. Renal function and morphology were studied before and after 60 min of renal ischaemia and contralateral nephrectomy in five groups of rabbits. The animals were pretreated with superoxide dismutase, catalase, allopurinol or mannitol. One group was not pretreated and served as a control.
2. A moderate transient increase in serum creatinine concentration was observed in the control rabbits, while a significantly less pronounced increase was noted after pretreatment with superoxide dismutase, catalase and mannitol.
3. Pretreatment with allopurinol did not significantly reduce the postoperative increase in serum creatinine and sodium excretion, but the urine osmolality returned to normal more rapidly than in the control group.
4. The appearance under the light microscope of kidney tissue taken from surviving rabbits was found to be normal irrespective of pretreatment. Severe tubular necrosis was observed in the kidneys from rabbits that died during the observation period.
