Renal damage caused by gentamicin: a study of the effects on renal morphology and urinary enzyme excretion

Gentamicin sulphate was administered to male Wistar rats by intramuscular injection at varying dosage and for varying periods. At high dosage (50-100 mg/kg/day) gentamicin causes tubular necrosis. At dosages equivalent to that given to man (5 mg/kg/day) obvious degenerative changes are produced. Similar changes are seen in human tubular epithelium and urine deposits of patients treated with gentamicin. There is increased excretion of urinary enzymes proportional to the degree of tubular damage. The importance of these changes in man is stressed.