The effects of the Chinese herbal medicine EMF01 on salicylate-induced tinnitus in rats.
OBJECTIVE
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been reported to successfully alleviate tinnitus, although well-controlled studies have not been conducted. In this study, we attempted to test a TCM, Er Ming Fang (EMF01) containing Rehmannia glutinosa, Cornus officinalis, Salvia mittiorrhiza, Pueraria, Schisandra chinensis, Poria cocos and Platycodon grandiflorum, on salicylate-induced tinnitus in rats, using a conditioned lick suppression paradigm.


METHODS
A pilot study examined the effect of 8.75 g/kg and 17.5 g/kg EMF01 (delivered by oral gavage for 20 days) and showed a slight decrease in the suppression ratio (SR) in the 8.75 g/kg group. In order to confirm the possible effect of EMF01 on tinnitus at 8.75 g/kg, a further study was carried out with a larger sample size.


RESULTS
While there were statistically significant differences between the treatment groups, post hoc tests revealed that EMF01 did not have any significant effect on salicylate-induced tinnitus.


CONCLUSIONS
While this study does not support the efficacy of EMF01 in the treatment of salicylate-induced tinnitus, further studies should be conducted to determine if it alleviates tinnitus associated with acoustic trauma.
Dept of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medical Sciences, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Yiwen
Y
Zheng
Shweta
S
Vagal
Xuan-xuan
XX
Zhu
Catherine
C
de Waele
Paul F
PF
Smith
Guangji
G
Wang
Ming
M
Zhang
Cynthia L
CL
Darlington
D000818:Animals; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D003214:Conditioning, Classical / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012459:Salicylates / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C550413:EMF01; D012459:Salicylates