Endothelin causes diuresis despite an accompanying decrease in glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow. Binding sites for endothelin are located not only in glomeruli but also in the inner medulla, possibly in inner medullary collecting ducts (IMCD). To determine whether endothelin has a direct tubular effect, effects of endothelin on water and urea transport were investigated using isolated microperfusion of rat IMCD segments in vitro. Endothelin, at 10(-10) and 10(-8) M, reversibly inhibited 10(-11) M arginine vasopressin (AVP)-stimulated osmotic water permeability (Pf) by 18 and 24%, respectively. Endothelin (10(-8) M) also inhibited Pf by 23% in the presence of a much higher dose of AVP (10(-9) M), whereas endothelin had no effect on Pf in the absence of AVP. On the other hand, 10(-8) M endothelin did not inhibit Pf stimulated by 10(-3) M dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP). Endothelin had no inhibitory effect on AVP-stimulated urea permeability. These data suggest that endothelin can cause diuresis by inhibiting AVP-stimulated Pf in IMCD and that the site of action is previous to cAMP generation.