title: The efficacy of Ginkgo special extract EGb 761 in patients with tinnitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of the present study in 60 patients with chronic tinnitus aurium was to confirm the efficacy of oral treatment with 2 x 80 mg Ginkgo special extract EGb 761 per day subsequent to 10-day EGb 761 infusion treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with chronic tinnitus aurium underwent 10 days of in-patient infusion treatment with 200 mg/day EGb 761, after which they were randomized to double-blind, oral out-patient treatment with either 2 x 80 mg/day EGb 761 or placebo, given over a scheduled treatment period of 12 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the change in tinnitus volume in the more severely affected ear during randomized treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two of 60 patients (89.7%) completed the infusion treatment; complete sets of data were available for 40 (66.7%), 30 (50.0%) and 22 (36.7%) patients after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of randomized treatment, respectively. For the primary outcome measure, significant superiority of EGb 761 over placebo was demonstrated in the intention-to-treat analysis data set after 4, 8 and 12 weeks of out-patient treatment (p < 0.05, 1-tailed), although the absolute treatment group difference was moderate. The results were supported by the secondary outcome measures for efficacy (e.g. decreased hearing loss, improved self-assessment of subjective impairment). During out-patient treatment, there were no attributable adverse events under EGb 761.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A combination of infusion therapy followed by oral administration of Ginkgo special extract EGb 761 appears to be effective and safe in alleviating the symptoms associated with tinnitus aurium.
authors.affiliation: Allgemeines Krankenhaus St. Georg. Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morgenstern
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Biermann
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D001699:Biometry; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract