EFFECTS OF CIPROFLOXACIN, STREPTOMYCIN, AND GENTAMICIN ON RABBIT CORNEAL TRANSENDOTHELIAL ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE

Purpose, A previous report suggested that high concentrations of cipro floxacin in the anterior chamber may cause dose-dependent acute cornea l decompensation. Therefore we evaluated the effect of varying concent rations of ciprofloxacin in the anterior chamber on the corneal endoth elium and compared these effects with those of gentamicin and streptom ycin. Methods, We assessed endothelial transport function by determini ng transendothelial electrical potential differences (TEPDs) of rabbit corneas. Our control solution was bicarbonate-buffered balanced salin e with glucose (BSG), to which we added ciprofloxacin (50, 100, 125, a nd 150 mu g/ml), gentamicin (1,000 and 2,000 mu g/ml), and streptomyci n (196, 437, and 696 mu g/ml). Results, At high concentrations exceedi ng minimal inhibitory concentrations against 90% of common ocular isol ates (MIC90), accelerated decay of TEPDs was seen with all three antib iotics. Adverse effects on TEPDs were noted at concentrations correspo nding to >50 times MICs with ciprofloxacin and 40 x MICs with gentamic in, but only 2 times MICs with streptomycin. Conclusion. Our study sho ws that concentrations of ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, and streptomycin below or equal to their MIG,, levels do not adversely affect endotheli al transport function in a rabbit model.