Intravenous infusion of the Ca2+ entry blocker diltiazem (10 micrograms . kg-1 . min-1 for 30 min) induced an increase in urinary excretion of sodium (UNaV) from 209 +/- 42 to 922 +/- 311 mueq without significant alterations in renal hemodynamics in anesthetized rabbits. Urinary excretion of kinin (UkinV) and prostaglandin E (UPGEV) were also increased by diltiazem, from 14.3 +/- 2.5 to 25.9 +/- 4.8 ng and 1.33 +/- 0.20 to 2.44 +/- 0.34 ng, respectively. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between UkinV and UNaV (r = 0.81, P less than 0.05). A significant relationship between UPGEV and UNaV (r = 0.83, P less than 0.05) was also observed. However, no correlation between urinary excretion of kallikrein (UkallV) and UNaV was found after infusion of diltiazem. Further, to examine a possible contribution of renal kinins and prostaglandins in diltiazem-induced natriuresis, aprotinin (50,000 KIU/kg bolus + 1,000 KIU . kg-1 . min-1 infusion) and indomethacin (8 mg/kg) were used. Aprotinin pretreatment attenuated diltiazem-induced natriuresis, accompanied by suppression of UkallV, UkinV, and UPGEV. However, indomethacin pretreatment did not affect this drug-induced natriuresis, although UPGEV was significantly decreased. Furthermore, under the indomethacin pretreatment, a significant increase in UkinV was produced by diltiazem. These results suggest that renal kinins rather than renal prostaglandin E, at least in part, play a role in diltiazem-induced natriuresis.