Pharmacological treatment of tinnitus with special reference to the role of melanin.
Local anaesthetics have hitherto been thought to exert their effects on tinnitus through a centrally operative mechanism, analogously to their effects in epilepsy and central pain. Evidences for a peripheral mechanism, probably related to the affinity of these drugs to inner ear melanin, are reviewed. The physico-chemical properties of melanin and findings indicating that this substance plays a role in hearing are also discussed.
D007758:Ear, Inner / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008012:Lidocaine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008543:Melanins / Q000378:metabolism*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy*
D008543:Melanins; D008012:Lidocaine