Hemoperfused Isolated Porcine Slaughterhouse Kidneys as a Valid Model for Pharmacological Studies

Mammalian models of isolated perfused kidneys provide an important tool to study pharmacological, toxicological, and physiological properties of drugs, hormones, and vasoactive substances. As organs from small laboratory animals are difficult to compare to human conditions, porcine and bovine kidneys permit better approaches to simulate human conditions. We developed an alternative model for pharmacological studies using isolated hemoperfused porcine kidneys from slaughterhouse animals to reduce laboratory animal experiments. Controlled pharmacological studies were established using furosemide (2 mg/100 g organweight) as a model drug. Kidneys were hemoperfused after a preservation period of 4.6 ± 1.7 h. In comparison to the control period, furosemide application led to significant changes in renal parameters with urine flow: 4.2/1.7 mL/min*100 g (furosemide/control), urine‐sodium: 108/77.5 mmol/L, sodium excretion: 0.47/0.14 mmol/min*100 g; all differences significant, p