Tolvaptan regulates aquaporin-2 and fecal water in cirrhotic rats with ascites

Figure 3 Relative mRNA expression of AQP-2 in the distal colon in the tolvaptan and vehicle groups. AQP-2 transcription in the distal colon in cirrhotic rats with ascites treated with different doses of tolvaptan (3 and 5 mg/kg) was measured. Compared with vehicle, a significant difference was detected on day 1 (3 mg/kg: 100% ± 16.3% vs 68.5% ± 10.0%, P < 0.05; 5 mg/kg: 100% ± 16.3% vs 34.1% ± 15.1%, P < 0.01) and on successive days. There was no significant difference between the respective tolvaptan groups. Data are mean ± SEM; ^aP < 0.05, tolvaptan vs vehicle; ^bP < 0.01, tolvaptan vs vehicle.