ABSTRACT
The aminoglycoside antibiotics are elaborated by actinomycetes of the genus Streptomyces. They are composed of two or more amino sugars connected in glycosidic linkage to a central aminocyclitol. The clinical utility of streptomycin and dihydrostreptomycin is limited by a narrow spectrum of activity and a propensity for developing rapid emergence of bacterial resistance. Paromomycin is primarily used for the treatment of intestinal amebiasis. Neomycin is employed as an oral and topical antimicrobial, but its high intrinsic potential to cause toxicity to the kidney precludes it from being useful for parenteral use. All aminoglycosides have a propensity to accumulate in renal tissues secondary to renal tubular reabsorption of drug which has been filtered by the glomerulus. The final criterion for selecting a specific aminoglycoside is the risk of inducing toxicity. Toxic syndromes observed with clinical use of aminoglycosides are nephrotoxicity, ototoxicity, neuromuscular blockage and cardiovascular depression.
