• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2006

Gemifloxacin is a synthetic fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent that exhibits potent activity against most Gram-negative and Gram-positive organisms, and has a comparatively low chondrotoxic potential in immature animals. This study examined the effects of gemifloxacin on the Achilles tendons in immature Sprague-Dawley rats treated by oral intubation once daily for 5 consecutive days from postnatal week 4 onward at doses of 0 (vehicle), and 600mg/kg body weight Ofloxacin was used for comparison. The Achilles tendon sperimens were examined by electron microscopy. In comparison with the vehicle-treated controls, there were ultrastructural changes in all samples from the gemifloxacin- and ofloxacin-treated rats. Degenerative changes were observed in the tenocytes, and the cells that detached from the extracellular matrix were recognizable. The degree of degenerative changes and the number of degenerated cells in the Achilles tendon were significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group. Moreover, among the quinolone treated groups, these findings were more significant in the ofloxacin treated group, and less significant in the gemifloxacin treated group. It is unclear what these findings mean with respect to the possible risk ill juvenile patients treated with gemifloxacin or other quinolones. However, these results show that gemifloxacin causes fewer changes in the connective tissue structures.