The Effect of Indomethacin and Flurbiprofen on Calcium Excretion and Glomerular Filtration Rate in the Anaesthetized Rat

Abstract

Calcium stone disease is commonly associated with hyper-calciuria which, if left untreated, can lead to a high incidence of recurrent stone formation^1,2. It has been shown recently that the prostaglandin synthetase inhibitors, indomethacin and flurbiprofin, restore Ca excretion to normal in patients with idiopathic hyper-calciuria and it has been suggested that they may be useful in treating this disorder^3,4. In conscious experimental animals indomethacin reduces Ca, Na and water excretion without associated changes in renal haemodynamics^5,6 implicating a role for prostaglandins in the regulation of Ca excretion by a direct action on the tubular transport processes. Prior to studying possible prostaglandin-Ca interaction in the nephron by micropuncture, we have investigated the effects of indomethacin and flurbiprofen on renal haemodynamics and Ca excretion in the anaesthetized rats.