Lipidosislike renal changes in rats treated with chlorphentermine or with tricyclic antidepressants

Histological, histochemical and ultrastructural examinations were performed on renal tissues of rats after prolonged oral administration of the anorectic drug chlorphentermine or of the tricyclic antidepressants iprindole, imipramine and clomipramine. All drugs caused the formation of multilamellated cytoplasmic inclusions throughout the nephron and the collecting duct system, and in interstitial cells. The cytological alterations were most prominent in the glomerular podocytes, in the proximal convoluted tubules, and in the collecting duct system. In view of the histochemical properties (staining with Baker's acid hematein) and the ultrastructural appearance of the cytoplasmic inclusions the cellular alterations are interpreted as a renal manifestation of a generalized lipidosis induced by drugs of amphiphilic character.