Study of ketoconazole toxicity in rabbit cornea and conjuctiva

Ketoconazole, acetyl-dichlorophenyl-imidazole, when administered topically to the eyes of normal New Zealand white rabbits in concentrations of 1%, 3% and 5% in arachis oil has been shown to have no toxic effect to the conjunctival and corneal epithelium of these animals. No toxic effects were also noted on the iris sphincter and the crystalline lens of these animals. Five per cent ketoconazole in arachis oil showed some minimal conjunctival hyperaemia in two of the test eyes (33.3%) after two weeks of continuous administration. Arachis oil, the carrier for the test drug showed no ocular toxicity in all the rabbits tested.