Effects of Japanese Herbal Medicine on MRSA Otitis

Abstract

Objective: Establish new treatment for patients with MRSA infected ears without using anti-MRSA antibiotics, in order to not produce new resistant bacteria to the anti-MRSA antibio-tics. Japanese herbal medicines have never produced any new resistant bacteria, and some agents have anti-MRSA function. Method: Three concurrent therapies using 2 local treatments, ear irrigation with normal saline and nasal povidone iodine gel treatment, and Japanese herbal medicine administration were applied 3 times a week to 14 patients with MRSA-infected ears. In this study, we first selected Hocchuekikitou as Japanese herbal medicine. Results: In 11 patients, MRSA successfully disappeared after several weeks and the infection was also controlled. However, 3 patients were cured after changing Japanese herbal medicine from Hocchuekikitou to Jyuzentaihotou. The mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity which can be observed through tympanic perforation was normal. Therefore, tympanoplasty was easily performed under the normal noninfectious condition after the present combined treatments and postoperative course were fairly good. Conclusion: The present new combined therapy, concurrent 2 local treatments and Japanese herbal administration, is useful for the MRSA infected ears.