The effectiveness of spirulina against cisplatin induced ototoxicity in rats

Objective: The purpose of this study was to asses the protective effect of an antiox,dant and antiinflammatory agent "spirulina" against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in rats. Material and Methods: This prospective, controlled animal study was conducted with 28 adult Speague Dawley rats divided into four groups. Before the drug administration, distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) and Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) tests were performed. Group 1 (n = 7), received 1 mg intraperitoenal (i.p.) saline. Group 2 (n = 7) received single dose of intraperitoenal (i.p.) cisplatin at 15 mg/kg/day. Group 3 (n = 7) received oral spirulina at 1000 mg/kg/day for 10 consecutive days. Group 4 (n = 7) single dose of intraperitoenal (i.p.) cisplatin at 15 mg/kg/day follwed by oral spirulina at 1000 mg/kg/day for 10 consecutive days. Final DPOAE and ABR measures were performed 10 days after the first drug administration. Results: Before the durg administration there was no significant differences between groups in terms of DPOAE and ABR measurements. Group 1 and 3 showed no significant difference before the drug administration and DPOAE measurements before. Group 2 demonstared lower SNR values at 2222 Hz, 2500 Hz, 3200 Hz, 4444 Hz, 5000 Hz, 8000 Hz, 8889 Hz, 10000 Hz ve 11429 Hz frequencies in final DPOAE measurement. In group 4 final DPOAE SNR values were lower in 4444 Hz, 5000 Hz, 8000 Hz, 8889 Hz, 10000 Hz ve 11429 Hz frequencies.In pairwise comparisons; group 1, 3 and 4 had no significat difference in final DPOAE measurement however rats received only cisplatin had lower SNR values than in other groups. There was no significant difference in terms of ABR threshold before the durg administration. After the drug administration, increase in ABR treshols was greater in group 2 than in group 4. Rats received only cisplatin yielded higher ABR tresholds than rats in other groups. Conclusion: Spirulina does not have negative effect on cochlear functions and has a partial protective role against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.