Renal effects of an aminoglycoside antibiotic in the rat.

The renal effect of the daily administration of gentamicin to male albino rats (20 mg/kg body weight) for 6 consecutive days on some biochemical systems of the kidney was examined. Urine volume and urinary protein levels were found to be progressively raised following gentamicin. Urinary alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, muramidase and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities were found to be markedly elevated. Acid phosphatase and GDH activities in urine were raised 24 h and 48 h, respectively, from the onset of gentamicin administration. The sequence in which some regions of the renal cells were involved in gentamicin nephrotoxicity was determined and the probable mechanism of interaction of gentamicin antibiotic with the renal tubular cells is proposed.