Cecal torsion in rodents associated with chronic administration of clinafloxacin

The chronic toxicity of clinafloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibacterial agen t, was evaluated in multiple strains of mice and rats. In 5 separate studie s, mice and rats that were orally administered up to 1,000 mg/kg of clinafl oxacin from 9 to 104 weeks developed dose-related cecal dilatation and deat hs that were attributable to cecal torsion. Cecal rupture was observed in a ssociation with torsion. Although cecal dilatation is commonly observed in rodents given antibacterials such as fluoroquinolones, cecal torsion has no t been a reported sequelae to dilatation.