Relationship between ototoxicity of aminoglycoside antibiotics and their transferability into inner ear fluids.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the question whether the difference of severity of ototoxicity induced by the aminoglycoside antibiotics depends on the difference of quantity of transferability into inner ear. Aminoglycoside antibiotics (tobramycin, kanamycin, netilmicin and ribostamycin) were injected for 30 consecutive days to rabbits. The relationship between the severity of hair cell damage and concentration of antibiotics in perilymph was investigated. The drug concentration in the perilymph was determined by the bioassay method, and using the surface preparation technique the hair cell damage was observed under a phase contrast microscope. It was concluded that the difference of severity of ototoxicity induced by the aminoglycoside antibiotics is due to the difference of their own toxicity to hair cells but not to the difference of their transferability into the perilymph.