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. 2025 Mar 25;21(2):1-9.
doi: 10.5152/iao.2025.241526.

Progressive Ototoxicity of Baby Shampoo As An Antifog Agent: An Experimental Study

Ahmet Mutlu  1   2 , Burcu Bakici  1   2 , Ayşe Yasemin Gunduz  1   2 , Murat Erinc  3 , Erdogan Bulut  4   5 , Onur Ersoy  6 , Hakan Bayraktar  7 , Mahmut Tayyar Kalcioglu  1   2
Affiliations

Progressive Ototoxicity of Baby Shampoo As An Antifog Agent: An Experimental Study

Ahmet Mutlu et al. J Int Adv Otol. .

Abstract

Background: Endoscopes play an important role in otologic surgery. Baby shampoos, known for their hypoallergenic, anti-irritant, and antifogging properties, are increasingly being used. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and ototoxic effects of baby shampoo in an animal model using both electrophysiological and histological methods.

Methods: Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: 7 control (group 1), 7 saline (group 2), 7 isopropyl alcohol (70%) + chlorhexidine (2%) antiseptic (group 3), and 7 baby shampoo (group 4). Baseline hearing was assessed by auditory brainstem response (ABR). All groups except the control received 3 doses of their respective substances by intratympanic injection. Auditory brainstem response measurements were performed on day 7 and day 21, after which the temporal bones were dissected. Histological evaluation of the cochlea and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoreactivity studies were performed.

Results: Baseline hearing thresholds were similar and within normal limits. On days 7 and 21, hearing thresholds were significantly impaired at all frequencies in the experimental groups. In particular, groups 3 and 4 had higher thresholds than the other groups. Baby shampoo caused significant damage to outer hair cells and sustentacular cells and decreased VEGF immunoreactivity in the stria vascularis, spiral ligament, and organ of Corti.

Conclusion: Baby shampoo was found to progressively impair hearing over time, indicating its potential to cause long-term ototoxicity.

Keywords: Ototoxicity; Sprague–Dawley rat; auditory brainstem response; cochlea; intratympanic injection.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
A-D: Hearing results in 8 (A), 16 (B), 24 (C), and 32 (D) kHz.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
A-D: Hematoxylin–eosin (H&E) staining in cochlear tissues (A) Group 1, (B) Group 2, (C) Group 3, (D) Group 4. SV, stria vascularis; SL, spiral ligament; OC, organ of Corti.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
A-D: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) immunoreactivity in cochlear tissues. (A) Group 1, (B) Group 2, (C) Group 3, and (D) Group 4. SV, stria vascularis; SL, spiral ligament; OC, organ of Corti.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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