Clonazepam Quiets tinnitus: a randomised crossover study with Ginkgo Biloba

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 83; no. 8; pp. 821 - 827
• Main Authors: Han, Seon-Sook, Nam, Eui-Cheol, Won, Jun Yeon, Lee, Kang Uk, Chun, Wanjoo, Choi, Hyun Kyung, Levine, Robert Aaron
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.08.2012; BMJ Publishing Group; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia; Animal cognition; benzodiazepine; Biological and medical sciences; Clonazepam; Clonazepam - therapeutic use; Cross-Over Studies; Female; GABA Agonists - therapeutic use; Ginkgo biloba; Hearing - drug effects; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system; Neurology; neurootology; pain; Patients; pharmacology; Phytotherapy - methods; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; psychiatry; Radionuclide investigations; stress; Studies; Tinnitus; Tinnitus - drug therapy; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Ginkgo biloba; Nervous system diseases; Gymnospermae; Auditory disorder; Ginkgoales; ENT disease; Spermatophyta; Tinnitus; Clonazepam
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp-2012-302273

ObjectiveTo assess the effect of Ginkgo biloba and clonazepam, a γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-receptor agonist, upon tinnitus.MethodsThis 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.ResultsComparing 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.ConclusionClonazepam is effective in treating tinnitus; G biloba is ineffective.