Kidney function changes after single-dose administration of borocaptate sodium (mercaptoundecahydro-closododecaborate, B12H11SH, BSH) were studied in rats. Changes of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) measured as 14C-inulin clearance, renal plasma flow rate (3H-p-aminohippuric acid clearance) and urine flow rate (UFR) after a slow intravenous injection of BSH (25 mg/kg b.w.) were investigated in rats under pentobarbital anaesthesia. It was found that a slow BSH injection induces a gradual decrease of renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate resulting in an almost constant reduction of the filtration fraction. These alterations were accompanied by a temporary increase of urine flow rate. Although a direct effect of BSH on the nephron cannot be excluded, it is suggested that the observed changes in kidney function might at least partly be mediated by disturbances in the function of the cardiovascular system following BSH injection. The role of the dianionic sulfhydryl group present in the borocaptate molecule in inducing these renal functional changes is discussed.