The ototoxic potential of netilmicin compared with amikacin. An animal study in guinea pigs.

The potential ototoxicity of netilmicin and amikacin was compared in guinea pigs. When the toxicity in animals is determined two parameters should be discussed: Dose related comparison of ototoxicity and a comparison related to the antibacterial potency. None of the netilmicin test groups (50-100 mg/kg body weight) showed a higher percentage of degenerated hair cells than the control group. Even the individual animals showed a sensory cell damage within the control animal range. With the antibacterial potency taken into account, a dose three times higher was given to the animals treated with amikacin than to those treated with netilmicin. The amikacin group of animals showed a high percentage of degenerated hair cells under these conditions.