Effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba in treating tinnitus: double blind, placebo controlled trial

doi:10.1136/bmj.322.7278.73

BMJ 2001;322:73 ( 13 January )

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Effectiveness of Ginkgo biloba in treating tinnitus: double blind, placebo controlled trial

Shelley Drew, research associate, Ewart Davies, senior lecturer.

Pharmacology Department, Division of Neuroscience, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT

Correspondence to: S Drew s.j.drew{at}bham.ac.uk

Objective: To determine whether Ginkgo biloba is effectivein treatingtinnitus.
Design: Double blind, placebo controlled trial usingpostalquestionnaires.
Participants: 1121 healthy people aged between 18 and 70years with tinnitus that was comparatively stable; 978 participantswere matched (489pairs).
Intervention: 12 weeks' treatment with either 50 mg Ginkgobiloba extract LI 1370 three times daily orplacebo.
Main outcome measures: Participants' assessment of tinnitus before,during, and after treatment. Questionnaires included items assessingperception of how loud and how troublesome tinnitus was. Changesin loudness were rated on a six point scale. Changes in how troublesomewere rated on a five pointscale.
Results: There were no significant differences in primaryor secondary outcome measures between the groups. 34 of 360 participantsreceiving active treatment reported that their tinnitus was lesstroublesome after 12 weeks of treatment compared with 35 of 360participants who tookplacebo.
Conclusions: 50 mg Ginkgo biloba extract LI 1370 given3 times daily for 12 weeks is no more effective than placebo intreatingtinnitus.

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Rapid Responses:

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Scientific Silliness for Good Cause: Ned Hoke
bmj.com, 15 Jan 2001 [Full text]
Ginkgo biloba and tinnitus: Fabio Firenzuoli, et al.
bmj.com, 16 Jan 2001 [Full text]
Successful pharmacological tinnitus treatment: Andreas F P Temmel
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Dose: Cordey Jean-Pierre
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Re: Successful pharmacological tinnitus treatment: Christian Frankenfeld
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validated scales?: L Gallo
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