Recently it has been shown that central dopaminergic system regulates the renal function and that intracerebroventricularly (icv) administered dopamine (DA) produces antidiuresis and antinaturiuresis, resembling icv norepinephrine, and evidence has been accumulated which would suggest the involvement of adrenergic system in the DA effects. It was attempted therefore in this study to see whether the DA effect is influenced by pretreatment of yohimbine which is known as a specific α2-adrenoceptor antagonist. Yohimbine produced, when given icv in doses of 100μg/kg, marked antidiuresis and antinatriuresis along with decreases in renal perfusion and glomerular filtration. DA, in doses of 15μg/kg, also produced antidiuresis and antinaturiuresis. However, after yohimbine-pretreatment DA 15μg/kg improved renal hemodynamics, and electrolyte excretion and urine flow rate transiently increased. With 150μg/kg DA, the antidiuresis was more marked in the control group. But the yohimbine-pretreated animals responded with marked diuresis and natriuresis, sodium excretion increasing more than three-fold, which lasted for 20 minutes. K+-excretion, osmolar clearance as well as free-water reabsorption increased. Renal hemodynamics improved partly. Apomorphine, a DA agonist, when given icv in doses of 150μg/kg, produced diuresis and naturiuresis, concomitant with increased renal hemodynamics. Yohimbine-pretreatment however did not abolish the apomorphine-induced diuresis and naturiuresis. Antidiuresis and antinatriuresis elicited by norepinephrine, 10μg/kg, was not affected by yohimbine-pretreatment. These results indicate that the renal effects of icv DA is not so simple as those of norepinephrine, and the diuretic natriuretic cffect which had been masked by the hemodynamic effect becomes manifest only when the decreases in hemodynamics were removed by the pretreatment of yohimbine. It was further suggested that those DA receptors which mediate the natriuretic response to icv DA is not affected by yohimbine, whereas those receptors involved in the decrease in renal hemodvnamics are blocked by yohimbine. And the possibility of involvement of adrcnergic system in the DA action is not substantiated.