Ultrastructural changes of the gemifloxacin on Achilles tendon in immature rats: comparison with those of ciproxacin and ofloxacin.
Gemifloxacin is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent that exhibits potent activity against most Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, and has a comparatively low chondrotoxic potential in immature animals. This study examined the effects of gemifloxacin on the Achilles tendons in immature Sprague-Dawley rats treated by oral intubation once daily for 5 consecutive days from postnatal week 4 onward at doses of 0 (vehicle), and 600 mg/kg body weight. Ofloxacin or ciprofloxacin were used for comparison. The Achilles tendon specimens were examined by electron microscopy. In comparison with the vehicle-treated controls, there were ultrastructural changes in all samples from the gemifloxacin-, ofloxacin-, and ciprofloxacin-treated rats. Degenerative changes were observed in the tenocytes, and the cells that detached from the extracellular matrix were recognizable. The degree of degenerative changes and the number of degenerated cells in the Achilles tendon were significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group. Moreover, among the quinolone-treated groups, these findings were most significant in the ofloxacin-treated group, and least significant in the gemifloxacin-treated group. It is unclear what these findings mean with respect to the possible risk in juvenile patients treated with gemifloxacin or other quinolones. However, these results show that gemifloxacin causes less changes in the connective tissue structures.
Bae
Chun-Sik
CS
College of Veterinary Medicine, Biotechnology Research Institute, Chonnam National University, Gwangju 500-757, Korea.
Oh
Dong-Min
DM
Bae
Jin-Gyu
JG
Kim
Jong-Choon
JC
Kim
Sung-Ho
SH
Kim
Su-Gwan
SG
Jeong
Moon-Jin
MJ
Kim
Youn-Shin
YS
Lim
Sung-Chul
SC
D000125:Achilles Tendon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000633:toxicity; D024841:Fluoroquinolones / Q000633:toxicity*; D000077735:Gemifloxacin; D008297:Male; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009287:Naphthyridines / Q000633:toxicity*; D015242:Ofloxacin / Q000633:toxicity; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D024841:Fluoroquinolones; D009287:Naphthyridines; D002939:Ciprofloxacin; D015242:Ofloxacin; D000077735:Gemifloxacin