ABSTRACT
Oxygen normally accepts four electrons and is converted directly to water. Aminoglycoside antibiotics including gentamicin are widely used in the treatment of Gram-negative infections. The specificity of gentamicin for renal toxicity is apparently related to its preferential accumulation in the renal proximal convoluted tubules and the effect of gentamicin on biological membranes appears to be critical in the pathogenetic sequence. The ability of gentamicin to alter mitochondrial respiration has been well documented by both in vitro and in vivo studies. The degree of aminotriazole-induced inactivation of catalase correlates well with the amount of hydrogen peroxide generated; a greater inhibition of the catalase activity by aminotriazole has been used as evidence for the increased in vivo generation of hydrogen peroxide. The in vitro and in vivo studies indicate enhanced generation of hydrogen peroxide and release of iron in response to gentamicin.
