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Microbiology: Kanamycin is a water-soluble, basic antibiotic discovered from the culture broth of a new species of Actinomyces, Streptomyces kanamyceticus.
Kanamycin is active against both in vitro and in vivo gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria as well as acid-fast bacteria (Mycobacterium tuberculosis). It strongly inhibits the growth of these bacteria and exerts a powerful protective effect against infections due to them. Kanamycin has been proven, under the experiments with mice, rats, dogs, cats, goldfishes and monkeys, to be a substance of less acute and chronic toxicity.
Kanamycin shows no cross-resistance with other antibiotics commonly used. Staphylococcus, Escherichia coli and Shigella which have developed resistance to other antibiotics are sensitive to kanamycin. Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistant to one or more of streptomycin, PAS and INH also responds to kanamycin.
It often exerts a favourable effect on infections due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris, so far considered to be intractable.
Pharmacokinetics: Absorption and Excretion: Kanamycin given IM attains the peak concentration in serum in about an hr, distributed in various organs and is excreted principally through the kidneys, about 50% in urine in 24 hrs.
Toxicology: The LD50 of IV kanamycin in mice, rats and rabbits is 200-300 mg (potency)/kg of body weight and that of intraperitoneal or SC injection in mice is about 1700 mg (potency)/kg.
Kanamycin is free from delayed or chronic toxicity. The mice and rats tolerated 400 mg (potency)/kg SC daily in 30 days and 355 mg (potency)/kg in 6 weeks, respectively.
Kanamycin given to dogs SC 100 mg (potency)/kg once daily for 3 months and IM 15 mg (potency)/kg once daily for 60 days caused no disturbances in hepatorenal and hematopoietic functions nor any other undesirable side reactions.
