Effect of chronic nitrofurantoin on the rabbit urinary bladder

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Pharmacology
• Pathology

Background:

• Interstitial cystitis (IC) presents with urinary urgency, frequency, and pain, often mimicking urinary tract infections.
• Antibiotic therapy is a common initial treatment for IC symptoms, despite limited evidence supporting its role.
• A hypothesis suggests chronic antibiotics may cause IC by damaging the bladder's protective mucin layer.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of chronic nitrofurantoin administration on rabbit urinary bladder function and morphology.
• To assess potential antibiotic-induced alterations in bladder mucosa and mucin.

Main Methods:

• Rabbits received chronic nitrofurantoin for up to twelve months.
• Evaluated bacterial adherence to bladder mucosa.
• Assessed antibacterial adherence activity of bladder mucin.
• Examined the ultrastructure of bladder tissues (mucosa, submucosa, muscularis).

Main Results:

• No changes were observed in bacterial adherence to the rabbit bladder mucosa.
• Specific antibacterial adherence activity of the bladder mucin remained unaffected.
• No alterations in the ultrastructure of the bladder's mucosa, submucosa, or muscularis were detected.

Conclusions:

• Chronic nitrofurantoin administration up to twelve months does not induce functional or morphological changes in the rabbit bladder.
• These findings do not support the hypothesis that nitrofurantoin damages the bladder's protective mechanisms.
• The study provides experimental data refuting a potential etiological role of nitrofurantoin in interstitial cystitis pathogenesis.