Distribution Within the Cochlea of Dihydrostreptomycin Injected Into the Circulation: An Autoradiographic and Electron Microscopic Study

Abstract

Using tritiated dihydrostreptomycin sulfate, the details of the fixation of streptomycin within the organ of Corti were studied. Two guinea pigs were used, and the incorporation times were one hour in the first and four hours in the second. Injection of the drug was into the carotid artery in order to approximate therapeutic conditions. Streptomycin spreads by way of the perilymph, across Reissner membrane and the basilar membrane, to gain the supporting Deiters cells, and then to show a certain election for the ribosomal fractions of the outer hair cells. More detailed studies are required to confirm this interpretation.