Electrolyte, water, and mercury excretion after oral administration of neohydrin; observations on experimental use of neohydrin (1347ex), a chloro derivative, and two thiol (1353ex and 1431ex) derivatives of 2-methoxy-propylurea.

ALTHOUGH mercurials exhibit diuretic properties when given orally, 1 the diuresis produced has generally been considered to be inadequate and inferior to that obtained following use of the parenteral route, 2 and for this reason the oral route of administration has not been very popular. However, several recently synthesized mercurial diuretics have been shown to exhibit greater diuretic potency than meralluride (Mercuhydrin). 3 With the development of more active compounds it seemed worth while to investigate the diuretic potential of these three experimental mercurials when administered by the oral route. The three compounds under investigation are (1) Neohydrin (3-chloromercuri-2-methoxypropylurea [1347Ex]), (2) 3-carboxymethyl-mercaptomercuri-2-methoxypropylurea (1353 Ex), and (3) 3-( a -carboxyethylmercaptomercuri)-2-methylpropylurea (1431Ex). Observations were made on the effect of oral administration of these compounds on water and electrolyte excretion in both normal subjects and in patients with cardiac failure. In addition, mercury excretion studies were performed on patients and on dogs. METHODS AND MATERIALS Clinical observations were