Otoprotection in guinea pigs exposed to pesticides and ginkgo biloba.

UNLABELLED: Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, despite the risk of hearing loss related to the exposure to their chemical components. This study looks into protective drugs to counteract the ototoxicity of pesticides. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the effect ginkgo biloba extract may have in protecting against possible cochlear damage caused by organophosphate pesticides (methamidophos). Anatomic changes are assessed through surface and electron microscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective experimental study. Twenty-one guinea pigs were given saline solution, pesticide, and ginkgo biloba alone or combined for seven consecutive days. Then their cochleas were removed and examined in a scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: Pesticide-exposed guinea pigs had morphological alterations in their cochleas and injuries in the three turns analyzed through electron microscopy. Injury intensity varied according to the dosages of the agents given to the test subjects. Guinea pigs treated with pesticide and ginkgo biloba maintained the architecture of their outer hair cells in all cochlear turns. CONCLUSION: The antioxidant properties found in the ginkgo biloba extract protected guinea pigs from pesticide ototoxicity.

Otoproteção em cobaias expostas a agrotóxico e ginkgo biloba / Otoprotection in guinea pigs exposed to pesticides and ginkgo biloba

Os agrotóxicos são amplamente utilizados na agricultura e, atualmente, fazem parte do grupo de agentes químicos que podem levar à perda auditiva. A identificação de drogas que, associadas aos ototóxicos, possam atuar como otoprotetores é objeto de estudo. OBJETIVO: Analisar a existência de efeito otoprotetor do extrato de Ginkgo biloba aos possíveis danos cocleares causados pelo agrotóxico do grupo dos organofosforados - metamidofós, avaliando-se as alterações anatômicas por meio da microscopia eletrônica de superfície. MATERIAL E MÉTODO: Estudo experimental prospectivo utilizando 21 cobaias, que sofreram ação da administração de soro fisiológico, agrotóxico e ginkgo biloba isoladamente e associadas, durante sete dias consecutivos. Após, as cócleas foram removidas e avaliadas anatomicamente pela microscopia eletrônica de varredura. RESULTADOS: As cobaias submetidas ao agrotóxico apresentaram alterações morfológicas cocleares, com lesões nas três espiras analisadas na microscopia eletrônica, intensificadas de acordo com a dosagem recebida do agente. As cobaias tratadas com agrotóxico e Ginkgo biloba apresentaram uma manutenção da arquitetura ciliar nas células ciliadas externas em todas as espiras da cóclea. CONCLUSÃO: O extrato de Ginkgo biloba, por sua ação antioxidante, atuou como fator otoprotetor à ototoxicidade pelo agrotóxico em cobaias.

Pesticides are widely used in agriculture, despite the risk of hearing loss related to the exposure to their chemical components. This study looks into protective drugs to counteract the ototoxicity of pesticides. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to analyze the effect ginkgo biloba extract may have in protecting against possible cochlear damage caused by organophosphate pesticides (methamidophos). Anatomic changes are assessed through surface and electron microscopy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective experimental study. Twenty-one guinea pigs were given saline solution, pesticide, and ginkgo biloba alone or combined for seven consecutive days. Then their cochleas were removed and examined in a scanning electron microscope. RESULTS: Pesticide-exposed guinea pigs had morphological alterations in their cochleas and injuries in the three turns analyzed through electron microscopy. Injury intensity varied according to the dosages of the agents given to the test subjects. Guinea pigs treated with pesticide and ginkgo biloba maintained the architecture of their outer hair cells in all cochlear turns. CONCLUSION: The antioxidant properties found in the ginkgo biloba extract protected guinea pigs from pesticide ototoxicity.

Results of brainstem evoked response in patients with vestibular complaints.

UNLABELLED: Otoneurological evaluations are based on tests which investigate auditory and vestibular disorders, including brainstem evoked auditory potentials and vecto-electronystagmography. AIM: to describe the results from the otoneurological assessment of patients with vestibulocochlear complaints, normal hearing individuals and patients with hearing loss, and we will compare them to a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study, held with 56 dizzy patients assessed by means of audiometry, vecto-electronystagmography and brainstem evoked auditory potential, broken down into Group A, with 31 normal-hearing individuals and Group B with 25 hearing loss patients, compared to the control group made up of ten normal-hearing asymptomatic individuals. RESULTS: Patients from groups A and B were compared to the Control Group, although with values within the normal range. A common finding for both groups was the lack of wave I at 80 dBHL and it happened bilaterally in four individuals (12.9%) and unilaterally in three (9.6%) for Group A; and bilaterally in eight individuals from Group B (32%). In the two cases in which vecto-electronystagmography showed central vestibular alteration, there were no changes to the evoked potential parameters. CONCLUSION: patients with vertigo, normal-hearing and hearing loss individuals had increased absolute latencies when compared to the Control Group.

Contribuição do potencial evocado auditivo em pacientes com vertigem / Results of brainstem evoked response in patients with vestibular complaints

Otoneurological evaluations are based on tests which investigate auditory and vestibular disorders, including brainstem evoked auditory potentials and vecto-electronystagmography. AIM: to describe the results from the otoneurological assessment of patients with vestibulocochlear complaints, normal hearing individuals and patients with hearing loss, and we will compare them to a control group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional, retrospective, observational study, held with 56 dizzy patients assessed by means of audiometry, vecto-electronystagmography and brainstem evoked auditory potential, broken down into Group A, with 31 normal-hearing individuals and Group B with 25 hearing loss patients, compared to the control group made up of ten normal-hearing asymptomatic individuals. RESULTS: Patients from groups A and B were compared to the Control Group, although with values within the normal range. A common finding for both groups was the lack of wave I at 80 dBHL and it happened bilaterally in four individuals (12.9 percent) and unilaterally in three (9.6 percent) for Group A; and bilaterally in eight individuals from Group B (32 percent). In the two cases in which vecto-electronystagmography showed central vestibular alteration, there were no changes to the evoked potential parameters. CONCLUSION: patients with vertigo, normal-hearing and hearing loss individuals had increased absolute latencies when compared to the Control Group

A avaliação otoneurológica consiste em exames para investigação de patologias auditivas e vestibulares, incluindo o potencial evocado de tronco encefálico e a vectoeletronistagmografia. OBJETIVO: Descrever os resultados da avaliação otoneurológica em pacientes com queixas vestibulococleares, normo-ouvintes e com perda auditiva, comparados a grupo-controle. MATERIAL E MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal, retrospectivo, observacional, realizado com 56 pacientes vertiginosos avaliados por audiometria, vectoeletronistagmografia e potencial evocado auditivo de tronco encefálico, divididos em grupo A, 31 pacientes normo-ouvintes, e grupo B, 25 pacientes com perda auditiva, comparados ao grupo-controle constituído por dez voluntários normo-ouvintes assintomáticos. RESULTADOS: Os pacientes dos grupos A e B apresentaram aumento em monobloco das latências absolutas das ondas I, III e V estatisticamente significante, quando comparados ao grupo-controle, embora com valores dentro da normalidade. A ausência da onda I a 80 dBNA foi um achado comum para ambos os grupos e ocorreu em quatro (12,9 por cento) sujeitos bilateralmente e em três (9,6 por cento) unilateralmente no grupo A e em oito (32 por cento) pacientes no grupo B bilateralmente. Nos dois casos em que a vectoeletronistagmografia acusou alteração vestibular central não ocorreram alterações nos parâmetros dos potenciais evocados. CONCLUSÃO: Os pacientes com vertigem, normo-ouvintes e com perda auditiva, apresentaram latências absolutas aumentadas quando comparados a grupo-controle