Acute amphotericin-B induced nephrotoxicity in albino rats

ABSTRACT

Nephrotoxicity is one of the major problems encountered during treatment with amphotericin B which is a potent broad spectrum antifungal drug used in systemic and deep fungal infections. The present study was undertaken to investigate the acute effect on the morphology of renal parenchyma when drug is administered in nephrotoxic doses in albino rats. A total of 20 albino rats of either sex were taken and divided into two groups. Group A as control and Group B received a single dose [10 mg/Kg] of intraperitoneal amphotericin B. The animals were sacrificed and their kidneys were subjected to detailed histological examination. The morphological features observed in the kidney of these two groups were analyzed and compared. The animals receiving 10 mg/Kg amphotericin B as a single dose showed flattering of the tubular epithelial cells with loss of proximal tubular brush borders and accumulation of lymphocytes in the cortical interstitium as compared to control group. The number of the proximal tubules as well as the tubular cell nuclear count was also decreased significally. It is suggested that, amphotericin B induced damage to renal cortical tissues is due to free radical injury which later caused direct cytotoxicity to renal epithelium