The efficacy of hesperidin for treatment of acute otitis media

Abstract

Objectives: In this experimental study, the effect of hesperidin on the treatment of acute otitis media (AOM) was investigated in an AOM-induced rat model.

Methods: In total, 35 rats were randomly divided into the following five groups (n=7): group 1 (control), group 2 (AOM with no treatment), group 3 (AOM+antibiotic), group 4 (AOM+hesperidin), and group 5 (AOM+hesperidin+antibiotic). On day 14, group 3,4 and 5 rats were given antibiotic and hesperidin via gavages, respectively. Histopathological and immunological analyses were performed and the results analyzed.

Results: Serum levels of TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-1β were significantly decreased in the hesperidin- and antibiotic-treated groups compared to the AOM group. The AOM+antibiotic and AOM+hesperidin groups demonstrated reduced histological damage compared to the AOM group. Between the AOM+antibiotic and AOM+hesperidin groups, significant differences in tympanic membrane thickness(ThicTM), inflammation(Inf), and sclerosis(Sc) values were observed. However, no difference in epithelial damage(DamEpith), was seen between the two groups. There was a significant difference in the AOM+antibiotic and AOM+antibiotic+hesperidin groups compared to AOM group (P<0.001).

Conclusions: In this study, we observed that both antibiotic and hesperidin treatment reduced AOM symptoms in an AOM-induced rat model. The values in AOM+antibiotic+hesperidin group were markedly lower than those of the other groups. From our results, we propose that hesperidin, in combination with antibiotics, may provide a successful alternative treatment for AOM compared with antibiotics used alone.

Keywords: Acute otitis media; Cytokines; Hesperidin; Histological examination; Rats.