A STUDY OF THE EFFECTS OF SULFANILAMIDE ON ACID-BASE METABOLISM 12

Abstract

Measurements made on normal subjects who were given sulfanilamide for prolonged periods demonstrated that the drug produced a marked loss of Na in the urine during the 1st day. This was associated with a drop in the (Na) and (CO2) and a rise in (CD of the serum, which were main-tained as long as the drug was given. When the drug was discontinued, these values rapidly returned to the pre-treatment levels. That these findings are not the result of hyperpnea due to the action of sulfanilamide on the respiratory center, was shown by demonstrating that base and bicarbonate removal in the urine occurred before there was any increase in ventilation.