Effects of topical aqueous garlic extract and garlic oil on inner ears in rats

Murat Salihoğlu; Atila Güngör; Salim Doğru; Enver Çeşmeci; Aytuğ Altundağ; Mehmet Timur Çelik; Osman Metin Ipçioğlu; Melih Çayönü

doi:10.5606/kbbu.2014.26349

Murat Salihoğlu¹, Atila Güngör¹, Salim Doğru¹, Enver Çeşmeci¹, Aytuğ Altundağ², Mehmet Timur Çelik³, Osman Metin Ipçioğlu⁴, Melih Çayönü⁵

¹Gata Haydarpaşa Eğitim Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Kliniği, Istanbul, Türkiye
²Istanbul Cerrahi Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Servisi, Istanbul, Türkiye
³Gata Haydarpaşa Eğitim Hastanesi, Hayvan Çalışma Ve Araştırma Bölümü, Istanbul, Türkiye
⁴Gata Haydarpaşa Eğitim Hastanesi, Biyokimya Servisi, Istanbul, Türkiye
⁵Amasya Üniversitesi Eğitim Ve Araştırma Hastanesi, Kulak Burun Boğaz Servisi, Amasya, Türkiye

Keywords: Sarımsak, otoakustik emisyon, ototoksisite, sıçan.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to investigate the possible ototoxic effects of aqueous garlic extract and garlic oil on inner ear in rats.

METHODS: We used 38 (19 males, 19 females) healthy and mature (16 to 20 month-old) Wistar Albino rats. The rats were divided into five groups. The rats in group 1 received 0.1 ml of fresh aqueous garlic extract and group 2 received 0.1 ml of garlic oil. The rats in group 3 and group 4 received gentamycin and saline solution, respectively for 10 days. Group 5 received no medication. The distortion product otoacoustic emission was used to investigate ototoxicity.

RESULTS: Based on the pre- and post-treatment distortion product otoacoustic emission results, there was no difference between the aqueous garlic extract and garlic oil groups and saline and control groups. Gentamycin had a significant negative effect on inner ear, as expected, compared to the other study groups.

CONCLUSION: Our study results suggest that aqueous garlic extract and garlic oil are non-ototoxic. This may explain why garlic has been so widely used in developing countries as a home-remedy for ear infections.