Investigation on renal tolerability of ciprofloxacin with tests based on monoclonal antibodies

The results obtained during the investigation on the excretion of nine urinary antigens originating in the kidney and characterized by monoclonal antibodies and of the brush-border marker-enzyme alanine aminopeptidase in the urine of 12 volunteers before and during the administration of therapeutic doses of ciprofloxacin on seven consecutive days gave no indication that this drug exerts tubulo-toxic side effects. The mean excretion curves showed no significant increases during ciprofloxacin treatment for any of the nine kidney-derived antigens. The measured antigen-excretion courses correlated with the curve of the excretion of AAP, which was measured as a marker for the brush border of the proximal tubule, and also with the course of the fluid elimination. There was no indication of selective damage to the distal section of the tubular apparatus resulting from possible crystalluria. These results, as well as the fact that all the other laboratory parameters were within the normal range, indicate that the kidney function of the volunteers was normal during the observation period and that ciprofloxacin is tolerated by the kidney.