Evaluation of ototoxicity of tobramycin in guinea pigs

Abstract

The short-term (4-week) administration of aminoglycoside antibiotics to guinea pigs showed that tobramycin is less toxic than gentamicin to the spiral organ, but more toxic than kanamycin, when these drugs are given at similar doses. Ototoxicity caused by tobramycin was markedly lower at 50mg/kg/day than at 100 mg/kg/day. Tobramycin caused no detectable damage in doses of 3 mg/kg/day, even after 90 days of administration. No transplacental ototoxic effect of tobramycin was found in newborn guinea pigs born to females that received tobramycin in the early 4 weeks of gestation. However, ototoxicity was present in both mothers and offspring when tobramycin was administered in the later 4 weeks of gestation.