The effects of chitosan-coated dialdehyde cellulose (Chitosan DAC), a newly developed oral adsorbent of urea and ammonia, were examined in rats with progressive chronic renal failure (CRF) induced by adriamycin. CRF rats induced by repeated injections of adriamycin were fed a diet containing chitosan DAC (5% content) or Kremezin (5% content), an oral charcoal adsorbent (AST-120) under strict paired-feeding for four months. CRF rats that received both a normal diet and Kremezin showed progressive azotemia, hyperphosphatemia, hyperlipidemia, proteinuria, and anemia, and began to die from 9 weeks after feeding started. In contrast, chitosan DAC-treatment showed marked prolongation of the survival period and decreases in blood urea nitrogen, serum creatinine, and serum phosphate. In addition, chitosan DAC-treatment ameliorated anemia in CRF rats, although hyperlipidemia and proteinuria were not improved. Furthermore, fecal weight, fecal water content, fecal nitrogen and fecal sodium were markedly increased, and the apparent protein ratio was decreased in CRF rats fed a diet containing chitosan DAC for 9 weeks. In contrast, none of these effects were observed in CRF rats receiving Kremezin. These observations suggest the further possibility of using oral adsorbent therapy for CRF patients.