Ingestion of Korean Red Ginseng after Noise Exposure Can Potentiate Rapid Recovery of Hearing in Mice

Abstract

One mechanism of inner ear damage by noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because Korean red ginseng (KRG) has an anti-ROS effect in various tissues, KRG may have a role in preventing NIHL. A window period exists in which ROS formations continue after noise exposure, and further damage can be prevented by antioxidants. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of KRG after exposure to noise. KRG (200 mg/kg) was fed to mice for 3 days after noise exposure. The change in hearing level was analyzed by measuring the auditory brainstem response. To induce a temporary threshold shift (TTS) of hearing, mice were exposed to 110 dB white noise for 3 hours. Fast recovery of hearing was observed in mice fed KRG 1 hour and 1 day after noise exposure for 3 days. The expression of 8-oxoguanine was not observed in the inner ears of mice fed KRG 1 hour after noise exposure, but was evident in the stria vascularis of mice in the control group (noise exposure only). From this study, we conclude that KRG acted as an effective inhibitor of NIHL in TTS cases.