EFFECTS OF LONG TERM ADMINISTRATION OF GENTAMICIN ON CLINICO-PATHOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

Abstract

The effects of long-term intramuscular injection of gentamicin (Gentin® inj., Opsonin, Bangladesh Ltd.) were studied clinicopathologically on twenty 60 day-old Swiss Albino mice of either sex for 42 days during January to March 2002. All the mice were grouped into four, each consisting of one male and four female mice, of which one group (group A) served as control without giving any treatment while groups B, C and D received recommended (50 mg / kg), medium (75 mg / kg) and double the recommended (100 mg / kg) doses of gentamicin intramuscularly daily for 42 days. All the treated mice produced mild to severe clinical signs, i.e., roughness of the body coat, dullness, depression, anorexia and weakness. At recommended and medium doses the offspring were apparently normal but at double the recommended dose, 10% offspring were died and others were weak and emaciated. No significant gross change was found in lungs, spleen and heart of all the treated groups but the kidney was found soft, flabby and enlarged and the heart was found darker, congested with necrotic foci on the surface. Histopathological changes showed chronic interstitial nephritis in groups B and C following recommended (50 mg / kg) and medium (75 mg / kg) doses while severe glomerulonephritis was observed following double the recommended dose (100 mg / kg) of gentamicin. In liver, histopathological study showed coagulation necrosis following recommended dose, whereas, karyorrhoexis and tissue regeneration were found following medium and double the recommended doses. In lungs, haemorrhage and thickening of interstitial tissues were observed following double the recommended dose of gentamicin in mice. Thus long term administration of higher dose of gentamicin is detrimental to the vital organs.