Toxicity of vancomycin on corneal endothelium in rabbits.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the toxic effect of vancomycin on the corneal endothelium related to concentrations of vancomycin.


METHODS
The toxic effect is assessed with a weighing method that gives a measure of endothelial function. Thirty-three rabbit corneas were divided into four groups. Three groups of seven corneas each were exposed to concentrations of 1.0 mg/ml, 3.0 mg/ml and 5.0 mg/ml vancomycin, respectively. The fourth group of twelve corneas served as a control group.


RESULTS
The corneas exposed to 1.0 mg/ml vancomycin showed no significant weight increase, while the corneas exposed to 3.0 mg/ml and 5.0 mg/ml showed a significant weight increase as compared to the control corneas. The weight increase was significantly larger in the group of corneas exposed to 5.0 mg/ml as compared to 3.0 mg/ml.


CONCLUSIONS
In the interval of tested concentrations there is a dose response relationship between vancomycin concentrations and endothelial toxicity. This experiment shows that vancomycin in the concentration of 1.0 mg/ml is non-toxic to the endothelium, while 3.0 mg/ml and 5.0 mg/ml increasingly impair endothelial function.
Sandboe
F D
FD
University Eye Department, National Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
Medin
W
W
Bjerknes
R
R
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D015715:Corneal Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004728:Endothelium, Corneal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D011817:Rabbits; D014640:Vancomycin / Q000633:toxicity*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D014640:Vancomycin