Comparative effects of gentamicin, amikacin and dactimicin on excretion of N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and kidney histological pattern in rats.

Dactimicin (DC) is a new pseudodisaccharide aminoglycoside antibiotic containing a formimidoyl group in its molecule (1). DC exhibits a greater antibacterial activity than other aminoglycosides against the clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens and is active against many gentamicin- and amikacin-resistant bacteria. This characteristic of the drug appears to be linked with a probable protective action exerted by the formimidoyl group in its structure. The greatest limitation in the clinical use of aminoglycosides is their potential for nephrotoxicity. The present study compares the renal effects of DC versus gentamicin (GT) and amikacin (AK), respectively the most and the least nephrotoxic pseudotrisaccharide aminoglycosides in present use (2), evaluating the urinary NAG excretion and the histological changes induced in the kidney.