Unmodified stroma free hemoglobin (SFH) increased renal vascular resistance (RVR) from 4.0+/-0.2 to 6.9+/-0.9 mmHg/ml/min in control isolated kidneys. In kidneys obtained from rats pretreated with the thromboxane synthetase inhibitor OKY-046 RVR increased from 3.9+/-0.3 to 4.8+/-0.4 mmHg/ml/min. The percent increase in RVR was greater in response to SFH in control kidneys (67+/-14%) than in OKY-046 treated kidneys (23+/-7%)(p<0.05). SFH resulted in a fall in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from 0.75+/-0.09 to 0.21+/-0.04 ml/min in control kidneys while in kidneys from OKY-0.46 treated rats GFR fell from 0.65+/-0.04 to 0.54+/-0.06 ml/min. The percent fall in GFR was greater in vehicle treated kidneys (69+/-8%) as opposed to OKY-046 treated kidneys (19+/-7%)(p<0.05). The rate of urinary thromboxane excretion measured before the addition of SFH to the perfusate was 52 pg/min in the control group and 7 pg/min in the OKY-046 treated group(p<0.05).