High dosage sildenafil induces hearing impairment in mice

Biol Pharm Bull. 2008 Oct;31(10):1981-4. doi: 10.1248/bpb.31.1981.

Abstract

Sildenafil is widely administered for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Recently, sensorineural hearing loss following the ingestion of sildenafil was reported in one male patient. We examined hearing in mice that were administered high doses of sildenafil for up to 105 d. To assess hearing impairment, we evaluated auditory brainstem responses, auditory middle latency responses, and otoacoustic emissions. At high doses, sildenafil increased the hearing threshold shift of auditory brainstem responses. High-dose sildenafil treatment also resulted in delayed latency of both auditory brainstem responses and auditory middle responses. Otoacoustic emissions differed between control and high-dose sildenafil groups with long-term treatment. Collectively, these data demonstrate that high-dose and long-term sildenafil administration can induce hearing impairment in mice.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cochlea / physiology
  • Cochlear Nerve / pathology
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem / drug effects
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / chemically induced*
  • Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / pathology
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Otoacoustic Emissions, Spontaneous / drug effects
  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / toxicity*
  • Piperazines / toxicity*
  • Purines / toxicity
  • Sildenafil Citrate
  • Sulfones / toxicity*

Substances

  • Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
  • Piperazines
  • Purines
  • Sulfones
  • Sildenafil Citrate