Investigation of the Effect of Allicin on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Rats.
6 affiliations
- 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, İzmir Bozyaka Education and Research Hospital, University of Health Sciences Turkey, İzmir, Türkiye
- 2Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Health Sciences Türkiye, İzmir City Hospital, İzmir, Türkiye
- 3Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Unit of Hearing Speech and Balance, Dokuz Eylül University Faculty of Medicine, İzmir, Türkiye
- 4Department of Laboratory Animals, Dokuz Eylül University Institute of Health Sciences, İzmir, Türkiye
- 5Department of Basic Oncology, Dokuz Eylul University Institute of Oncology, İzmir, Türkiye
- 6Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Dokuz Eylül University School of Medicine, İzmir, Türkiye
Abstract
Background and objectives
Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a major cause of sensorineural hearing loss. However, effective pharmacological treatments remain limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of allicin on NIHL in a rat model.Materials and methods
Forty-two female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six groups (n= 7 per group): saline (SF), allicin, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), noise+SF, noise+allicin+DMSO, and noise+DMSO. Noise exposure was performed using 4 kHz octave-band noise at a sound pressure level (SPL) of 120 dB for 4 hours. Allicin (20 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) was administered for 7 days following noise exposure. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds (dB SPL) were measured at 8, 12, 16, 20, and 32 kHz at baseline, 24 hours, and day 7. Histopathological evaluation of the cochlea was performed after euthanasia.Results
Noise exposure significantly increased ABR thresholds in all noise-exposed groups. On day 7, the noise+allicin+ DMSO group demonstrated significantly lower ABR thresholds at 16, 20, and 32 kHz compared with the noise+SF group and at 20 and 32 kHz compared with the noise+DMSO group (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed at lower frequencies. Histopathological analysis showed a trend toward reduced cochlear damage in the allicin-treated group; however, the differences were not statistically significant.Conclusions
Allicin treatment improved high-frequency hearing thresholds in rats with NIHL. However, the absence of significant histopathological and mechanistic findings indicates that further molecular and region-specific studies are required.
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BibTeX
@article{sen2026investigation,
title = {{Investigation of the Effect of Allicin on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Rats.}},
author = {Yakup Şen and Canberk Kertmen and Serpil Mungan Durankaya and Osman Yılmaz and Günay Kırkım and Safiye Aktaş and Yüksel Olgun and Abdullah Dalğıç},
journal = {Journal of audiology \& otology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.7874/jao.2026.00024},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958774},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Investigation of the Effect of Allicin on Noise-Induced Hearing Loss in Rats.
AU - Yakup Şen
AU - Canberk Kertmen
AU - Serpil Mungan Durankaya
AU - Osman Yılmaz
AU - Günay Kırkım
AU - Safiye Aktaş
AU - Yüksel Olgun
AU - Abdullah Dalğıç
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
JO - Journal of audiology & otology
DO - 10.7874/jao.2026.00024
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42958774
AB - Background and objectives Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is a major cause of sensorineural hearing loss. However, effective pharmacological treatments remain limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the therapeutic effects of allicin on NIHL in a rat model.Materials and methods Forty-two female Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into six groups (n= 7 per group): saline (SF), allicin, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), noise+SF, noise+allicin+DMSO, and noise+DMSO. Noise exposure was performed using 4 kHz octave-band noise at a sound pressure level (SPL) of 120 dB for 4 hours. Allicin (20 mg/kg/day, intraperitoneally) was administered for 7 days following noise exposure. Auditory brainstem response (ABR) thresholds (dB SPL) were measured at 8, 12, 16, 20, and 32 kHz at baseline, 24 hours, and day 7. Histopathological evaluation of the cochlea was performed after euthanasia.Results Noise exposure significantly increased ABR thresholds in all noise-exposed groups. On day 7, the noise+allicin+ DMSO group demonstrated significantly lower ABR thresholds at 16, 20, and 32 kHz compared with the noise+SF group and at 20 and 32 kHz compared with the noise+DMSO group (p<0.05). No significant differences were observed at lower frequencies. Histopathological analysis showed a trend toward reduced cochlear damage in the allicin-treated group; however, the differences were not statistically significant.Conclusions Allicin treatment improved high-frequency hearing thresholds in rats with NIHL. However, the absence of significant histopathological and mechanistic findings indicates that further molecular and region-specific studies are required.
SN - 2384-1621
SN - 2384-1710
ER -