ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: Streptomycin and kanamycin are aminoglycosides that are toxic to the cochlea vestibular system, can causing hearing loss. This antibiotic is used for the treatment of tuberculosis and its ototoxicity occurs in 20% of tuberculosis patients. Spirulina is a cyanobacterial species that is used as a dietary supplement and contains phycocyanin compounds that function as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spirulina on histopathological changes in the cochlea in Wistar rats after kanamycin induction. Methods: this study is a form of posttest-only controlled group design research with a sample of 24 wistar rats divided into 4 groups, namely negative control group, positive control group, treatment group 1 and treatment group 2. Observations of the study took place in November-December 2021. Histopathological measurements in hair cells, macrophages and cochlear vasculature. The analysis used non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis and post-hoc Mann-Whitney tests. Results: There were more hair cell damage, macrophage cell count, and significant vascular dilatation in the kanamycin group than in the without kanamycin group with the value p=0.001. There was significantly less number of hair cell damage in the kanamycin group with spirulina at a dose of 1000 mg than in the kanamycin group with spirulina at a dose of 400 mg p=0.045. Conclusion: There was a significant effect on the administration of spirulina on histopathological changes in the cochlea of rats.