To investigate negative dopaminergic modulation to aldosterone secretion in cirrhotic patients having elavated plasma aldosterone (AD) and catecholamine levels, we measured AD, plasma norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (D), and creatinine clearance (CrCL) in 37 patients with hepatic diseases and 9 controls. Thereafter we compared plasma AD and prolactine (PRl) response induced by metoclopramide (MP, 20 mg i.v.), a D receptor antagonist, between in 7 cirrhosis and in 6 controls. These hormones in plasma were elevated significantly (p<0.05) in cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis patients compared with controls. Plasma AD was correlated negatively to D and CrCL was correlated positively (p<0.001) to plasma D/NE ratio. MP induced AD response was greater in cirrhosis than in contro1, whereas PRL response was greater in control. Although intravenous infusion of dopamine decreased PRL in both groups (p<0.05), it did not produce any AD reduction in the basal and the MP induced response in cirrhosis but the small decrease in ontrol. These results suggested that D plays an important role for both renal function and AD secretion in cirrhosis. Tonic dopaminergic suppression to AD appear to be enhanced in cirrhosis.