Characterization of Amikacin Drug Exposure and Nephrotoxicity in an Animal Model

Despite excellent in vitro activity, aminoglycosides are used conservatively to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections due to their associated nephrotoxicity. Aminoglycosides are known to accumulate in the kidneys, but the quantitative relationship between drug exposures and nephrotoxicity is not well established. To bridge the knowledge gap, the objective of this study was to develop an animal model with clinically relevant conditions to mimic human disease progression. Single-dose pharmacokinetics were studied in Sprague-Dawley rats dosed either with 100 or 500 mg/kg of body weight of amikacin subcutaneously.