Acute and chronic experiments were performed in rats to examine whether atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) has any beneficial effects on glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF). ANP infusion (Atriopeptin III, 1.0 microgram/kg+0.2 microgram/kg/min) improved the renal blood flow (RBF) and the glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and induced profound natriuresis in the early stage of ARF. By contrast, ANP decreased RBF in the control rats. In addition to these acute hemodynamic effects, long-term beneficial effects of ANP were also observed. A 75-min infusion of ANP significantly lessened the degree of azotemia as well as the extent of renal histologic damage assessed 24 hours after the glycerol injection. These results indicate that ANP can afford partial protection against both acute renal dysfunction and the chronic course of the glycerol-induced ARF, suggesting that ANP may be useful in the treatment of ARF.