Aims/background: We evaluated the retinal toxicity of spartanamicin B and its efficacy in a rabbit model of Candidal endophthalmitis., Methods: Toxicity. Fourteen albino rabbit eyes were injected intravitreally with spartanamicin B (1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50, and 100 microg); 2 eyes received the vehicle alone. Efficacy. Ten rabbit eyes were inoculated with 3000 Candida organisms which caused endophthalmitis in 24 hours. Eight eyes were treated with intravitreal spartanamicin B in doses of 1, 2, 5, or 10 microg/0.1 ml; 2 untreated eyes served as controls., Results: Toxicity. The eyes injected with < or =10 microg and the control group eyes exhibited no clinical, histological, or electroretinographic evidence of retinal toxicity. Doses >10 microg caused vitritis. Efficacy. Clinical examination of the treated eyes showed a gradual improvement over 3-6 days; mild opacities remained until day 14. Results of cultures performed 15 days after infection were negative in all treated eyes., Conclusions: Intravitreally injected spartanamicin B (10 microg) is nontoxic to the retina, effective against C. albicans in the endophthalmitis model in the rabbit eye and caused no discernible histological changes in the retina.