[Experimental study of the organotropic side-effect properties of polymyxin B]

Toxicity of Soviet polymyxin B and its effect on the central peripheral nervous system, blood circulation, respiration, smooth muscles, functional liver and kidney state, growth and development of young animals, the picture of the peripheral blood were studied in acute and chronic experiments on various species of animals. It was found that polymyxin B had a suppressing effect on the peripheral n-cholinoreactive systems of the neuromuscle synapses of the skeletal muscles and ganglia of the sympathic and parasympathic innervation and deprimizing effect on the central nervous system. Caffeine, adrenaline and calcium chloride proved to be the antagonists of the neurotoxic effects of polymyxin B. The chronic experiments revealed that polymyxin B induced disorders in the kidney function and morphological changes in the glomeruli after its repeated administration. No significant effect of polymyxin B on the growth and development of the young animals, the functional state of the liver and the picture of the peripheral blood was observed when the drug was used in doses corresponding to the therapeutic ones in clinics.