title: Clonazepam quiets tinnitus: a randomised crossover study with Ginkgo biloba.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of Ginkgo biloba and clonazepam, a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-receptor agonist, upon tinnitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an open-label, randomised, crossover study. 27 men and 11 women (aged 16-80 (mean 58)) with tinnitus for more than 2 months were enrolled. Participants were randomised to either clonazepam or G biloba for the first 3 weeks. For the next 2 weeks of washout no medication was taken. For the final 3 weeks, subjects were given the other drug. The initial dose of clonazepam and G biloba was one tablet daily (clonazepam 0.5 mg; G biloba 40 mg). Subjects were instructed to increase the dose by one tablet every 3 days to a maximum of four tablets daily until they perceived a satisfactory decrease in tinnitus loudness or intolerable side effects. Tinnitus was assessed with pitch and loudness matching, tinnitus handicap inventory, and visual analogue scales of loudness, duration and annoyance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparing before and after each drug, clonazepam significantly improved tinnitus loudness (74% of subjects), duration (63%), annoyance (79%), and tinnitus handicap inventory score (61%), whereas the G biloba showed no significant differences on any of these measures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Clonazepam is effective in treating tinnitus; G biloba is ineffective.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Kangwon National University, School of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seon-Sook
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Eui-Cheol
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Jun Yeon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: Kang Uk
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wanjoo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Hyun Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Robert Aaron
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Levine
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002998:Clonazepam / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D018755:GABA Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006309:Hearing / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D002998:Clonazepam; D018755:GABA Agonists; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract