To determine the effect of clonidine, an alpha 2-adrenergic agonist, on atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) release during water deprivation, plasma immunoreactive ANF (IR-ANF) arginine vasopressin, diuresis and natriuresis were measured in rats which had been deprived of water for 24 and 48 hr after intravenous (IV) administration of 50 micrograms clonidine. In normally-hydrated rats clonidine produced a marked elevation of plasma IR-ANF from 40.5 +/- 4.6 pg/ml to 1064 +/- 22 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) and sodium excretion from 73.3 +/- 6.8 microEq to 723.4 +/- 62.3 microEq. Clonidine evoked an increase in plasma IR-ANF from 16.6 +/- 5.9 pg/ml to 229.5 +/- 60 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) after 24 hr water deprivation and from 13.6 +/- 7.4 pg/ml to 104.8 +/- 21 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM) after 48 hr water deprivation. Clonidine did not induce any significant changes in vasopressin levels. During 24 hr and 48 hr water deprivation vasopressin rose from 3.1 +/- 0.3 pg/ml to 7.3 +/- 1.3 pg/ml and 8.4 +/- 0.6 pg/ml (mean +/- SEM), respectively. In normally-hydrated rats clonidine produced a marked diuresis and natriuresis. These effects and urinary cGMP excretion were significantly inhibited by anti-ANF antibodies. Clonidine caused a significant increase in urine output in 24 hr water-deprived rats but the response was markedly lower than that seen in normally-hydrated rats. In conclusion, clonidine stimulates ANF release both in normally-hydrated and water-deprived rats. The diuretic effect of clonidine appears to be related to ANF release but not to inhibition of vasopressin.