The postischemic infusion of ATP-MgCl2 will enhance the recovery of both glomerular and tubular function. To assess the effect of ATP-MgCl2 on tissue nucleotides, 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (31P-NMR) spectra were obtained continuously in vivo from the left kidney of rats that had been subjected to 45 min of renal ischemia and then infused with either normal saline or ATP-MgCl2. 31P-NMR spectra with distinct peaks for alpha-, beta-, and gamma-phosphate of ATP, sugar phosphate, and inorganic phosphate were collected every 7 min before, during, and after renal artery occlusion. During ischemia, the ATP beta-peak (the only peak unique to ATP) fell rapidly to 10% of control values in both groups of animals. By 120 min after the ischemic insult, the animals treated with ATP-MgCl2 had recovery of renal ATP to 89 +/- 2.6%, which is significantly greater (P less than 0.001) than 65.2 +/- 1.8% found in rats given normal saline. These data indicate that 1) 31P-NMR can be used to assess renal ATP levels continuously in vivo; 2) during renal ischemia ATP levels fall quickly to less than 10% of control values; 3) tissue ATP returns relatively slowly to control values in rats given normal saline, whereas postischemic treatment with ATP-MgCl2 results in an accelerated recovery of tissue ATP levels. These findings provide a biochemical correlate to the improvement in renal function previously described.