MOLECULAR-PARAMETERS INVOLVED IN AMINOGLYCOSIDE NEPHROTOXICITY

Aminoglycoside antibiotics are hydrophilic molecules consisting of an aminated cyclitol associated with amino sugar. They bind in vivo as we ll in vitro to negatively charged membranes. Their use as chemotherape utic agents is unfortunately accompanied by oto- and nephrotoxic react ions, and the purpose of this review is to examine the role oi the mol ecular interactions between aminoglycosides and membranes in the devel opment of nephrotoxicity. P-31 Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and fl uorescence depolarization have been used to characterize the effect oi aminoglycosides on phosphate heads and fatty acyl chains of phospholi pids. N-15 NMR has been used to obtain interesting information on