Therapeutic use of methionine to reduce the toxicity of platinum-containing anti-tumor compounds

A method for preventing or reducing ototoxicity in a patient selected from the group consisting of a human, a cat, and a dog undergoing treatment with a chemotherapeutic effective amount of an anti-tumor platinum-coordination compound, the method comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of an otoprotective agent comprising L-methionine, D,L-methionine or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, the administration of said effective amount of said otoprotective agent resulting in a blood serum level equivalent to that achieved by parenteral administration in the range of from about 1 mg/kg body weight to about 100 mg/kg body weight.

A method for preventing or treating ototoxicity in a patient undergoing treatment with an aminoglycoside antibiotic, the method comprising administering to said patient an effective amount of an otoprotective agent comprising methionine or a methionine-like moiety.