Safety of ofloxacin otic and other ototopical treatments in animal models and in humans

To assess the safety of topical agents in the middle ear, animal studies we re reviewed. Compared with aminoglycoside-containing preparations, which ca used significant loss of hair cells in the basal turn of the cochlea, oflox acin caused no loss of hair cells, even at concentrations higher than used clinically, Moreover auditory brainstem testing revealed no change in audit ory thresholds in the ofloxacin-treated animals, whereas neomycin-treated a nimals showed substantial threshold shifts. In human studies, use of topical ofloxacin 0.3% was not associated with any change in hearing. Topical ofloxacin has no demonstrable adverse effects o n middle ear or cochlear function,