Early toxic events in kidney of rat and man following administration of gentamicin at low doses.

Kidney cortex of rats and humans treated with low doses of Gentamicin have been examined both morphologically and biochemically. Specific alterations of the lysosomes (loss of activity of phospholipases; accumulation of phospholipid-like material) was detected as early as from 2-4 days of treatment. This finding is consistent with the concept that Gentamicin exerts its toxic action on kidney through lysosomal dysfunction.