Intravitreal moxifloxacin: Retinal safety study with electroretinography and histopathology in animal models

Hua Gao, Mark E. Pennesi, Xiaoxi Qiao, Mohan N. Iyer, Samuel M. Wu, Eric Holz, William F. Mieler

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

55 Scopus citations

Abstract

PURPOSE. To determine whether moxifloxacin can be used safely as an intraocular antibiotic, retinal safety of intravitreal moxifloxacin was studied with electroretinography (ERG) and histopathology in animal models. METHODS. Moxifloxacin was injected into mouse eyes at intravitreal concentrations of 5 to 500 μg/mL and into rabbit eyes at 150 μg/mL. As the control, the vehicle was injected into the fellow eyes of each animal. Four weeks after injection, ERG recordings were performed, and animal eyes were processed for histologic examination. RESULTS. ERG studies showed no significant difference between control and moxifloxacin-injected eyes at any dose in either the mouse or rabbit model. Histologic examination revealed no retinal abnormality in mice at 5 to 100 μg/mL or in rabbits at 150 μg/mL intravitreal moxifloxacin. In mice at 500 μg/mL, occasional focal retinal necroses were observed, suggesting isolated retinal toxicity at this concentration of moxifloxacin. CONCLUSIONS. Intravitreal moxifloxacin, up to 100 μg/mL in mice or 150 μg/mL in rabbits, caused no ERG or retinal histologic abnormality. These results indicate that moxifloxacin is a safe intravitreal antibiotic in mouse and rabbit animal models. If proven safe and efficacious by further study in humans, intravitreal injection of moxifloxacin could be considered as an alternative to currently used antibiotics in selected patients with resistance or allergy to the more traditional antibiotics.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1606-1611
Number of pages6
JournalInvestigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science
Volume47
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2006

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Ophthalmology
  • Sensory Systems
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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