PROTECTIVE EFFECTS OF GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT AGAINST CISPLATIN OTOTOXICITY

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are implicated in an increasing number of pathologies. Above all, oxidative stress is strongly implicated in hearing loss due to the ototoxic action of cisplatin or aminoglycoside and noise damage. Cisplatin is a chemotherapy agent that is used as a treatment for several types of cancer. Unfortunately it could injure several areas of the cochlea, including outer hair cells in the Organ of Corti, the spiral ganglion and the stria vascularis. The focus of this research was verify the protective effects of a nutraceutical product compounds with antioxidant activity (ACUVAL®, Scharper Healthcare, Italy) against cisplatin toxicity. The Gionkgo biloba extract (Ginkgoselect®) action was evaluated by cytofluorimetry in a mouse inner ear cell line (OCk3). The Ginkgo biloba extract is know to have antioxidant proprieties with a free radicals scavenging effect, and protecting cells against apoptosis. The data obtained in this study show that Ginkgo biloba extract protects against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity. These results suggest the opportunity that the medical use of antioxidant agents could reduce or prevent damage to the inner ear of patients exposed at cisplatin chemotherapy.