The ototoxic interaction of viomycin, capreomycin and polymyxin B with ethacrynic acid.

The ototoxic interaction between the aminoglycoside antibiotics (streptomycin, kanamycin, etc.) and the loop-inhibiting diuretics (ethacrynic acid, furosemide and bumetanide) has been well documented. This interaction causes extensive destruction of the hair cells of the cochlea. Brummett et al. (1974) demonstrated that this interaction did not occur with the non-loop-inhibiting diuretics and kanamycin. The present study was undertaken to determine if antibiotics other than the aminoglycosides could produce the ototoxic interaction when combined with a loop-inhibiting diuretic. Three antibiotics-viomycin, capreomycin, and polymyxin B- when given with ethacrynic acid were found to produce cochlear hair cell damage that was similar to that produced by aminoglycoside antibiotics administered with ethacrynic acid. Therefore, the interaction appears to be specific to the loop-inhibiting diuretics but not specific for the aminoglycoside antibiotics.