RESUMO
BACKGROUND: The mechanism of salicylate ototoxicity is probably related to reversible biochemical or metabolic changes in the cochlea. Decreased cochlear blood flow seems to play an important role in salicylate ototoxicity. Several constituents of ginkgo extract have the action of increasing blood flow, antagonism of platelet activating factor and scavenger of free radicals. It might be thought that these activities of ginkgo extract could contribute to attenuate salicylate ototoxicity. OBJECTIVES: Whether the salicylate induced hearing loss could be attenuated by pretreatment with ginkgo extract. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Auditory brainstem response threshold changes were observed after the intramuscular injection of lysine salicylate(300mg/kg), or lysine salicylate with EGb 761(100mg/kg, single IP or 100mg/kg and 50mg/kg, IP, two times) pretreatment in each group of guinea pig. RESULTS: In the groups with Ginkgo extract pretreatment, the threshold changes were less severe and recovered earlier than in group with salicylate injection only(p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: EGb 761 could attenuated the hearing loss after the injection of salicylate in guinea pig.