[Kanamycin ototoxicity and melanin in the inner ear].

In order to clarify the relationship between ototoxicity of aminoglucoside and inner ear melanin, we have undergone observations on the cochleas of albino and pigmented guinea pigs with surface preparation, paraffin section. SEM and ECochG following chronic administration of kanamycin. The damage in the pigmented animal was more serious than that of the albino ones. It seems that the cochlea of the pigmented animal is more susceptible to kanamycin than that of the albino ones. It suggests that melanin may be implicated in the ototoxicity of aminoglucoside antibiotics that might be due to its capacity to take and accumulate the drug.