AIM:Todeterminethehistopathologicalchangesofrifampicinappliedintravitreallyonretinalganglioncellsbymeansofstereologicalandhistopathologicalmethods.METHODS:Forthisstudytwenty-fourNewZealandadultrabbitswerepidedintofourgroups(n=6foreachgroup).50μg/0.1mL(group1),100μg/0.1mL(group2),150μg/0.1mL(group3)and200μg/0.1mL(group4),rifampicinwereinjectedintothevitreousoftherighteyesofanimals,theirlefteyeswereusedascontrol(group5).Afterthe28thdayofapplication,animalswereanesthetisedwithxylazine(8mg/kg,IM)andthentheireyeswereenucleatedimmediately.Patternsweretakenawayandeyeswerepreparedforbothstereologicalandelectromicroscopicobservation.RESULTS:Dependingonthehighdoseofrifampicin,somehistopathologicalchangessuchascytoplasmicdilatationanddamagedmembranewereobservedontheelectromicroscopiclevel.Usingquantitativeexamination,whichwasdoneatthelightmicroscopiclevel,itwasshownthatthenumberofneuronsdecreasedlinearlyasrifampicindoseincreasedwhencomparedwiththecontrolgroup.CONCLUSION:Basedonthesefindings,low-doserifampicin(50μg/0.1mL)maybeusefulfortreatmentoftheoculardiseases.
