CYTOTOXICITY OF INTRACAMERAL INJECTION-DRUGS TO CORNEAL ENDOTHELIUM AS EVALUATED BY CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL-CELL CULTURE

The cell culture method was used to quantitatively evaluate the cytoto xicity to porcine corneal endothelial cells by drugs in the usual conc entrations of intracameral injections (ICI). Time-dependent cytotoxici ty of drugs was evaluated quantitatively; dye exclusion assay by trypa n blue was used as a viability assay; and cytotoxicity to corneal endo thelium was tested using amphotericin-B, amikacin, colistin, sulbenici llin, and cephradine in their original, 10-fold, and 100-fold ICI conc entrations. Original and 10-fold ICI concentrations of betamethasone a lso were used. In original and 10-fold ICI concentrations, only amphot ericin-B had significant cytotoxicity. In 100-fold ICI concentrations, amphotericin-B, colistin, and sulbenicillin had significant cytotoxic ity. Betamethasone had neither a cytotoxic nor a proliferative effect in its original and 10-fold ICI concentrations. A 0.1-fold ICI concent ration of amphotericin-B also showed 42.75% cytotoxicity after a 32-mi n exposure. Evaluating drug cytotoxicity to corneal endothelium by mon olayer cultured cells and the time-dependent cytotoxicity of drugs as a quantitative method is efficient and objective.