Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester: a potential protector against gentamicin ototoxicity.

Abstract

The nitric oxide (NO) inhibitor nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) may act as an otoprotectant against high-frequency hearing loss caused by gentamicin, but further studies are needed to confirm this.Aminoglycoside antibiotics are still widely used by virtue of their efficacy and low cost. Their ototoxicity is a serious health problem and, as their ototoxic mechanism involves the production of NO, we need to assess the use of NO inhibitors for the prevention of aminoglycoside-induced sensorineural hearing loss. In this experimental study we used 30 Sprague-Dawley rats, 27 of which had gentamicin instilled into the middle ear. The otoprotectant L-NAME was administered topically to 12/27 animals. Its effect was determined in terms of attenuation of hearing loss, measured by shifts in the auditory brainstem response threshold. L-NAME reduced gentamicin-induced hearing loss in the high-frequency range, but gave no protection in the middle or low frequencies.

• Authors: Leif Nordang, Matti Anniko
• Journal: Acta oto-laryngologica (Acta Otolaryngol) Vol. 125 Issue 10 Pg. 1033-8 (Oct 2005) ISSN: 0001-6489 [Print] England
• PMID: 16298782 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Enzyme Inhibitors
• Gentamicins
• NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester

Topics

• Animals
• Anti-Bacterial Agents (toxicity)
• Enzyme Inhibitors (therapeutic use)
• Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem (physiology)
• Gentamicins (toxicity)
• Hearing Loss, Sensorineural (chemically induced, physiopathology, prevention & control)
• Male
• NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Sprague-Dawley
• Reaction Time (physiology)