In order to examine the extrarenal roles of aldosterone in cardiovascular homeostasis, the present study compared blood pressure, extracellular fluid volume (ECFV) and plasma volume (PV) in the three following groups: 10 nephrectomized (NX) rats, 10 nephrectomized-adrenalectomized (NX-AX) rats, and 10 NX-AX and aldosterone-treated (NX-AX-A) rats. Two-hundred and fifty micrograms of aldosterone, mixed with sesame oil, was given subcutaneously in the NX-AX-A rats. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) was recorded through previously implanted carotid catheters. ECFV and PV were measured using 35S-Na2SO4 and 131I-RISA, respectively, 24 h after the operation. These measurements were performed in an unanesthetized and unrestricted condition. MAP gradually increased in the NX group, while a gradual decrease was observed in the other groups. However, MAP was significantly higher in the NX-AX-A group than in the NX-AX group 6 h after the operation and thereafter. Changes in body weight were comparable in the three groups 24 h after the operation. ECFV and PV were both reduced in the NX-AX and the NX-AX-A groups as compared to the NX group (P less than 0.001 NX-AX vs NX, and P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.025 NX-AX-A vs NX, respectively). Although ECFV was comparable in the NX-AX and the NX-AX-A groups, PV was significantly greater in the NX-AX-A group than in the NX-AX group (P less than 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between MAP and PV in the rats as a whole (r = 0.68, P less than 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)