Comparative Cochlear Toxicities of Streptomycin, Gentamicin, Amikacin and Netilmicin in Guinea-Pigs

Abstract

All the aminoglycoside antibiotics now in clinical use are ototoxic. This study was designed to compare the toxic effects of four aminoglycoside antibiotics, streptomycin, gentamicin, amikacin and netilmicin, administered to guinea-pigs systemically (at respective doses of 125 mg/kg, 50 mg/kg, 150 mg/kg or 37.5 mg/kg, twice daily for 1 week) or topically via the transtympanic route (0.25 ml/kg in 4% saline, twice daily for 1 week). Chosen doses were 10-20 times higher than the recommended human dosage. Cochlear damage was observed in all animals that were given systemic and local aminoglycosides. The severity of the cochlear damage was in the order gentamicin, amikacin, streptomycin, netilmicin, with gentamicin being the most toxic. No statistically significant difference between the severity of cochlear damage resulting from the systemic and topical applications was detected.

A Prospective Experimental Study on the Protective Effect of Resveratrol against Amikacin-Induced Ototoxicity in Rats

“…In addition to the organ of Corti, amikacin also damages the spiral ganglion and stria vascularis [12] . In our study, OHC damage was more prominent in the amikacin group An amikacin dose of 600 mg/kg, the dose that we used in our study, is usually sufficient to promptly observe ototoxic effects [13] .…”

Transient ischemia/hypoxia enhances gentamicin ototoxicity via caspase-dependent cell death pathway

“…This differential and orderly pattern of cochlear damage echoes previous study of ototoxicity by prolonged and high dose of aminoglycoside. 42 Several reasons may explain why ischemia contributes to aminoglycoside ototoxicity. Development of aminoglycoside ototoxicity relates to the diffusion of aminoglycoside into the inner ear and its subsequent binding to cochlear tissues, followed by slow release into inner ear fluid.…”

Protective role of antidiabetic drug metformin against gentamicin induced apoptosis in auditory cell line

“…However, clinicians have used the vestibulotoxic effect of aminoglycosides in order to manage disabling vertigo from unilateral Meniere's disease since the late 1980s (Nedzelski et al, 1992;Lustig, 2004). Although it is generally accepted that gentamicin exerts greater vestibular toxicity than cochlear toxicity, there remains a very real risk of hearing loss as a result of intratympanic administration, particularly with higher-dose and vestibular ablative protocols (Kalkandelen et al, 2002).…”