Studies were performed to determine whether renal glutathione (GSH) is an important free-radical scavenger following ischemia and reperfusion, whether alterations in renal transport work affect renal GSH levels, and whether a decrease in renal work decreases susceptibility to postischemic renal injury via the first two effects. Following administration of either intravenous GSH to increase renal GSH or intraperitoneal diethylmaleate to decrease renal GSH, Sprague-Dawley rats underwent 60 minutes of renal ischemia. In animals with high renal GSH following GSH infusion, GFR 24 hours after ischemia was 0.43 +/- 0.08 ml/min compared to 0.15 +/- 0.02 ml/min in saline-infused control animals (P less than 0.01). When renal GSH was decreased by the administration of diethylmaleate postischemic renal dysfunction was accentuated. Twenty-four hours after ischemia GFR was 0.05 +/- 0.02 ml/min in diethylmaleate-treated animals and 0.28 +/- 0.06 ml/min in control animals (P less than 0.005). To test whether a decrease in renal transport work alters renal GSH the filtered load of sodium was reduced by producing unilateral renal artery stenosis. Alternatively, renal work was lessened when sodium reabsorption was interfered with by the infusion of a combination of natriuretic agents. Renal artery stenosis produced a 37% decrease in GFR. Renal GSH was 0.435 +/- 0.089 nmol/mg protein in intact kidneys and 0.804 +/- 0.239 nmol/mg protein in stenotic kidneys (P less than 0.05). The infusion of natriuretic agents produced no change in GFR or renal plasma flow but resulted in a striking elevation in renal GSH.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)