TOXICITY OF QUINOLONE ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS

An approach to minimization of toxicity of a new compound is to elucid ate the mechanisms of toxicity of analogous compounds and to clarify t heir structure-toxicity relationships. A problem with this approach, h owever, is that such elucidation remains difficult. For quinolones, so me improvements in this mechanistic approach have been achieved in the central nervous system (CNS), particularly with regard to their inter action with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and in geno toxicity and phototoxicity studies, particularly in comparison with ot her toxicities, such as to the cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, bone, reproductive, and developmental systems. This review concentrates on a description of the known effects of quinolones on various organ syst ems in experimental animals and humans. Given the logarithmic increase in the synthesis of new quinolones, it is questionable whether these drugs share similar safety and efficacy. Nevertheless, this mechanisti c approach to the investigation and minimization of toxicity has produ ced satisfactory results to date and deserves to be continued.