Journal of Otolaryngology and Ophthalmology of Shandong University ›› 2026, Vol. 40 ›› Issue (4): 1-9.doi: 10.6040/j.issn.1673-3770.0.2025.223

• Original Article •     Next Articles

Baicalein attenuates Cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cell damage: an invitro study

HOU Zhenxing1, LUO Jingjing2, WANG Nan2, LI Ao1,2, GAO Xia1   

  1. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Jiangsu Provincial Key Medical Discipline Laboratory, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital Clinical College of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210008, Jiangsu, China
  • Published:2026-07-10

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Abstract: Objective The objective of this study is to investigate the protective effects of baicalein against cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cell damage and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods Utilizing the mouse auditory hair cell line(house ear institute-organ of corti 1, HEI-OC1)and ex vivo cultured mouse cochlear tissues as models, the impact of baicalin on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity were assessed via Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, microscopic imaging, and live/dead cell staining. The survival of cochlear hair cells were evaluated through the use of immunofluorescence staining. To this end, mechanistic studies were conducted using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR), flow cytometry, and Western blot(WB)analysis. Results The finding revealed that baicalein significantly attenuated cisplatin-induced HEI-OC1 cell death(P<0.001)without exhibiting toxicity in the ex vivo cochlear model. In comparison with the cisplatin-only group, the baicalein co-treatment group exhibited a significant increase in hair cell survival(P=0.000 5). Mechanistic investigations revealed that baicalein effectively reduced mitochondrial superoxide and total intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation, Furthermore, baicalein was found to downregulate the pro-apoptotic protein Bax, upregulated the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, and suppressed Caspase-3/9 activation. Conclusion Baicalein has been shown to counteract cisplatin-induced cochlear hair cell apoptosis by attenuating mitochondrial oxidative stress. This finding suggests that balcalein could serve as a promising therapeutic agent for preventing cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

Key words: Baicalein, Pharmacologic deafness, Cisplatin, Ototoxicity, Hearing loss

CLC Number: 

  • R762
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