Toxic effects on rabbit kidney cell cultures of a new aminoglycoside.

In this study the cellular toxicity of two aminoglycosides (gentamicin and dactimicin) have been evaluated using rabbit kidney cell cultures. The correlation between toxic effect and antibiotic concentration, and between toxic effect and the period of contact have been evaluated. The toxic effect was measured in rabbit kidney cell cultures by means of the release of N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase. This enzyme was chosen in order to establish a correlation between in vitro and in vivo results. Gentamicin clearly shows in both tests a non-linear correlation between cellular toxicity and concentration or period of contact. Dactimicin, a new aminoglycoside probably less toxic than others, also shows in both tests a non-linear correlation between cellular toxicity and concentration or period of contact, but the release of enzyme was significantly reduced during the treatment of the cell cultures with this aminoglycoside.