Pefloxacin in adriamycin induced nephrotic syndrome in the rat

Background. Pefloxacin, a fluorinated 4-quinolone, has recently been advocated as a first-line treatment for minimal-change nephropathy (MCN) or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). To further evaluate this issue we have utilized an animal model resembling human MCN, namely adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome in Wistar male rats. Methods. Adriamycin at a dose of 7 mg/kg was injected intravenously to all rats at day zero. Rats were divided into two groups: group A (n = 20) given only water served as the control group while group B (n = 19) was administered pefloxacin at 150 mg/kg. At days 7, 14, 21 and 28, the rats were placed in metabolic cages and daily proteinuria determined. Results. The nephrotic syndrome developed in all rats within 7 days of adriamycin administration. At day 7, proteinuria in group B was 173 ± 78 vs 423 ± 626 mg/day in group A, P < 0.02, but thereafter at days 14, 21 and 28, no significant difference in urinary protein excretion was noted. Conclusions. These results suggest that in this animal model of NS mimicking human MCN, pefloxacin's antiproteinuric effect is only of a mild and transitory nature. In view of the above data and the overall results in human patients (detailed herein), the use of pefloxacin as definitive treatment of the NS cannot be recommended.