ABSTRACT
The acute renal failure (ARF), that still presents a right mortality rate (50%) can be defined as an abrupt decline of the glomerular filtration, resultant of ischemic or toxicity event. The drugs nephrotoxicity is one of the most frequent cause (27%) of ARF and it is suggested that the interval of administration of the drug can interfere in this side effect, however the best administration regimen is not very well established. This study evaluated the renal function of rats that received gentamicin (100 mg/kg) in one dose or in two doses (2 x 50 mg/kg), by intraperitoneal infusion. The results obtained in this research, indicated that the single infusion of gentamicin determined smaller nephrotoxicity by the reduction of serum concentration of this drug in 24 hours, decreasing the intracellular accumulation of this gentamicin, which is one of the main cellular mechanisms of this renal injury. The single dose treatment regime, otherwise, shows advantages not only related to the nephrotoxicity effect, but also it is relevant to the cost and safety, which can be rationable factors in the administration of this drug.