Oral administration of an herbal medicine to prevent progressive hearing loss in a mouse model of diabetes

• Published in: Auris, nasus, larynx Vol. 46; no. 5; pp. 703 - 708
• Main Authors: Hori, Takeshi, Sugahara, Kazuma, Tsuda, Junko, Hirose, Yoshinobu, Hashimoto, Makoto, Takemoto, Yousuke, Tarumoto, Shunsuke, Yamashita, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.10.2019
• Subjects: Administration, Oral; Animals; Auditory brainstem response; Blood Glucose - drug effects; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Caloric Restriction; Capillaries - drug effects; Capillaries - pathology; Cochlea; Cochlea - blood supply; Cochlea - drug effects; Cochlea - pathology; Diabetes mellitus type 2; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem - drug effects; Hearing loss; Hearing Loss - etiology; Hearing Loss - metabolism; Hyperglycemia; Mice; Plant Preparations - pharmacology; Stria vascularis; Stria Vascularis - drug effects; Stria Vascularis - pathology; Cochlea; Stria vascularis; Hyperglycemia; Auditory brainstem response; Diabetes mellitus type 2; Hearing loss
• ISSN: 0385-8146; 1879-1476
• DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2019.01.011

Tsumura Suzuki Obese Diabetes (TSOD) mice exhibit early age-associated hearing loss. Histopathological analysis of these mice shows narrowing of capillaries in the stria vascularis and chronic reduction of blood flow in the cochlea. In this study, we investigated the effect of oral administration of a herbal medicine or calorie restriction on hearing in TSOD mice. TSOD mice were divided into 4 groups: CR (calorie restriction), BF and DS (treated with the herbal medicines, Bofutsushosan and Daisaikoto, respectively), and the control group. Body weight, blood glucose levels, and auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) were measured. The cochleae were excised and evaluated histopathologically. Blood glucose levels were suppressed in the CR, BF, and DS groups. In addition, the elevation of ABR thresholds was inhibited in the CR, BF, and DS groups. Cochlear blood vessels remained wide in the three treatment groups compared with the control group. These results suggested that the administration of these herbal medicines improved glucose tolerance and yielded results similar to those on calorie restriction. Oral administration of 2 herbal medicines can prevent hearing function disorder in a model mouse of diabetes. The results may clarify the possibility of clinical application.