title: The protective role of thymoquinone in the prevention of gentamicin ototoxicity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the potential protective effect of thymoquinone in gentamicin-induced ototoxicity through auditory brain stem responses (ABR) testing and histomorphological evaluation of the cochlea.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on 48 adult female Sprague-Dawley rats that were randomized into 4 groups. Group 1 received intraperitoneal gentamicin; group 2 received intraperitoneal gentamicin plus corn oil solution; group 3 received intraperitoneal thymoquinone; and group 4 received intraperitoneal gentamicin plus thymoquinone. All groups received the drugs (once daily) in the above-mentioned protocols over 15 days. After conducting repeated ABR measurements, the rats were sacrificed, and their cochleae were isolated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ABR thresholds were preserved in the gentamicin plus thymoquinone group when compared with the group receiving gentamicin alone. There were fewer TUNEL-positive cells and caspase-3 and caspase-9 expressions were weaker in the inner and outer hairy cells of the organ of Corti in the gentamicin plus thymoquinone group compared with the group receiving gentamicin alone.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ABR values and number of apoptotic cells did not significantly increase in the group receiving gentamicin plus thymoquinone when compared to the group receiving gentamicin alone. Again, the cochlear histomorphological findings were supportive of the auditory findings. In light of these findings, we conclude that gentamicin-induced ototoxicity may be prevented by thymoquinone use in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey. Electronic address: musagit@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sagit
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferhat
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Korkmaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Histology and Embryology, Celal Bayar Univercity School of Vocational Health Service, Manisa, Turkey.
authors.forename: Seren Gulsen
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Gürgen
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Turgut Ozal University School of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mesut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.affiliation: Subdepartment of Audiology, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Alper
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akcadag
authors.affiliation: Department of ENT, Kayseri Training and Research Hospital, Kayseri, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ozcan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003051:Cochlea / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005839:Gentamicins / Q000633:toxicity*; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; D005839:Gentamicins; C003466:thymoquinone