Intraocular effects of pimaricin.

Pigmented rabbits weighing 3 to 6 lbs were given bilateral intraocular injections of 250 to 1,000 mug pimaricin. Following their injection, blood, aqueous and vitreous levels were determined at various time intervals during the first 24 hours and at 24 hour intervals thereafter for one week. In subsequent studies, pigmented rabbits were given bilateral intraocular injections of 5,000 spores of A. fumigatus and 30 hours later received intraocular injections of 250 to 1,000 mug pimaricin. These studies show that 250 mug of intraocular pimaricin is well tolerated in the infected and normal animal eye with therapeutic ocular levels maintained for over 24 hours. Drug levels above 250 mug, although relatively notoxic in the normal eye resulted in irreversible damage to ocular structures in the infected eye that could not be resolved. Thus in the case of fungal endophthalmitis involving the anterior segment which will lead to the ultimate loss of the eye, an injection of 250 mug of pimaricin might preserve useful vision.