Aldosterone and dexamethasone stimulate sodium absorption in the rat colon in vivo. In vitro, increased amiloride inhibitable short-circuit current (ISC) has been demonstrated following aldosterone or dexamethasone treatment. Since ISC bears no relationship to sodium flux (JNa) in the untreated rat colon, we measured JNa in partially stripped voltage clamped segments of rat distal colon. Our results demonstrate directly that continuous infusion of aldosterone or dexamethasone for 4-7 days stimulated amiloride inhibitable JNa by stimulating JNaM -S. The amiloride inhibitable portion of JNaM -S was highly correlated with and approximately equal to the amiloride inhibitable ISC. Amiloride had no effect in controls. We conclude that JNaM -S in the rat distal colon is only sensitive to mucosal amiloride after treatment with aldosterone or dexamethasone. The amiloride sensitive ISC in these treated tissues was a good measure of the amiloride sensitive JNa. Small differences between aldosterone and dexamethasone treatment were noted in the effect on transepithelial resistance, potential difference, and the ISC after amiloride.