Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761® or pentoxifylline for the treatment of sudden deafness : A randomized, reference-controlled, double-blind study

• Published in: Acta oto-laryngologica Vol. 121; no. 5; pp. 579 - 584
• Main Authors: REISSER, Ch, WEIDAUER, H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholm Taylor and Francis 01-07-2001
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Auditory Threshold - drug effects; Biological and medical sciences; Double-Blind Method; Ear, auditive nerve, cochleovestibular tract, facial nerve: diseases, semeiology; Ent. Stomatology; Female; Ginkgo biloba; Hearing Loss, Sudden - drug therapy; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Pentoxifylline - pharmacology; Pentoxifylline - therapeutic use; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Prospective Studies; Speech Perception; Tinnitus - prevention & control; Vasodilator Agents - pharmacology; Vasodilator Agents - therapeutic use; Performance evaluation; Human; Pure tone audiometry; Audiometry; Treatment efficiency; Auditory disorder; Exploration; Hearing loss; Ginkgo biloba; Pentoxifylline; Randomization; Treatment; Gymnospermae; Double blind study; Ginkgoales; ENT disease; Spermatophyta; Xanthine derivatives; Tinnitus; Comparative study; Sudden deafness
• ISSN: 0001-6489; 1651-2251
• DOI: 10.1080/000164801316878854

In a randomized, prospective, double-blind study involving 72 patients, the therapeutic efficacy of ginkgo extract EGb 761 (n = 37) was compared to that of pentoxifylline (n = 35) for the treatment of sudden deafness. The two therapeutic schedules were equally well tolerated and showed a statistically significant equivalence in improvement or in return to normal of the auditory thresholds in the two patient groups. Furthermore, no differences were found between the treatment groups with regard to the criteria for a return to normal of speech discrimination and reduction of the tinnitus which arose at the same time as the sudden hearing loss. The patient's subjective assessment of the treatment with regard to improvement in hearing and reduction in tinnitus suggested that Ginkgo biloba extract was more beneficial than pentoxifylline. In summary, it was shown that treatment of sudden deafness with ginkgo special extract EGb 761 was as effective as treatment with pentoxifylline.