Effects of C-phycocyanin and Spirulina on Salicylate-Induced Tinnitus

http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0058215

Abstract
Effects of C-phycocyanin (C-PC), the active component of Spirulina platensis water extract on the expressions of N-methyl D-aspartate receptor subunit 2B (NR2B), tumor necrosis factor–α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and cyclooxygenase type 2 (COX-2) genes in the cochlea and inferior colliculus (IC) of mice were evaluated after tinnitus was induced by intraperitoneal injection of salicylate. The results showed that 4-day salicylate treatment (unlike 4-day saline treatment) caused a significant increase in NR2B, TNF-α, and IL-1β mRNAs expression in the cochlea and IC. On the other hand, dietary supplementation with C-PC or Spirulina platensis water extract significantly reduced the salicylate-induced tinnitus and down-regulated the mRNAs expression of NR2B, TNF-α, IL-1β mRNAs, and COX-2 genes in the cochlea and IC of mice. The changes of protein expression levels were generally correlated with those of mRNAs expression levels in the IC for above genes.


Although some medications appeared to be effective for tinnitus, the results were still not so satisfactory and/or their adverse side effects prevent them as a regular treatment for mice and/or humans [7]–[9]. Therefore, it is still worth searching for more “safe and effective” medications for tinnitus.
Spirulina is a microscopic blue-green algae living both in sea and fresh water. It is composed of high quality protein, iron, gamma-linolenic fatty acid, carotenoids, vitamins B1 and B2, minerals, and its active component: C-phycocyanin(C-PC), etc [10]. It has been reported that Spirulina platensis water extract or C-PC exerts anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory activities and neuroprotective effects via inhibition of COX [11] and/or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase enzymes [12]. Meanwhile, as we mentioned above, tinnitus were associated with up-regulation of the NR2B and proinflammatory genes [5], [6]. So, Spirulina might be also a good candidate for prevention or treatment of tinnitus.
In this study, we aim to investigated whether C-PC or spirulina platensis water extract could reduce the tinnitus score and expression levels of NR2B, TNF-α, IL-1β, and COX-2 genes in the cochlea and IC in response to intraperitoneal injections of salicylate.

Results
This experimental study showed that the both of spirulina platensis water extract and its active component (C-PC) could reduce salicylate-induced tinnitus and reduce expression of NR2B,....

..... In conclusion, we suggested that spirulina platensis water extract and its active component (C-PC) could reduce salicylate-induced tinnitus. The beneficial role of spirulina mainly via inhibiting expression of NR, COX-2 and proinflammatory genes.

 

I take organic green super food twice a day. Just looked on the container... it has organic spirulina as an ingredient. I wonder how much one should take of spirulina to have the positive effects indicated in the study/research experiment.

 

I will do more research on this when I have some free time at work.

I know you love natural... I am working on it!!!

 

Do you use super greens daily Karen?

I will test it on strawberries today. I had a bunch the other day and didn't notice anything. I will pay attention this time.

Here is another published article on spirulina: http://www.cyanotech.com/pdfs/spirulina/sptl28.pdf

I hope to weed through it today... a lot to read through!

 

Thanks calin!

Tough reading indeed! But at least there's no quiz afterwards. And it's good to read the actual scienitific monographs.

I've used several "super green" formulations. Typically, I'll mix them with yogurt for a smoothie. Think I'll head out to the vitamin shop today and look specifically for spirulina!!

Here's another article on it:

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/spirulina-000327.htm

 

Karen,

Thanks for the link! Yesterday, I had a nasty spike, and I think it was from a flavored cheese (sun-dried tomato). The packaged specifically listed "salicylates" as an ingredient. Of course, I only noticed this after I had a piece. I thought it might be okay as I only had a half ounce, but it was not!

I'm thinking it was the sun-dried tomatoes, not the cheese. I"ll look it up, but I do love sun-dried tomatoes. Perhaps, this will be another thing I'll have to make myself. Tinnitus has forced me to abandon most prepared foods. And, though I love cooking and eating organic, I really don't want to manufacture everything I eat!

 

Karen, I take 2 servings of this product daily. One in the morning and one in the evening with my supplements and teas.

You can always start out with just one serving and then increase as you feel necessary. https://www.swansonvitamins.com/amazing-grass-green-superfood-orange-dreamsicle-8-5-oz-pwdr

I also can get the regular flavor from my local Fresh and Easy Market.

Maybe you can get just spirulina. Ah ha - just checked - yes. https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swa...s-certified-organic-spirulina-500-mg-180-tabs

 

Great! It is a reasonable price too!

Keep us posted about it.

 

Yes, let us know. It might take a few weeks to reduce your T. If you are thinking about other supplements, you might try one at a time. Just a thought. It's easier to keep track of what's working/not working.

 

Yay for good tinnitus days!!!!

 

So Karen, you are now taking 1 gram of spirulina. Yes?

I can't tell how much I am getting in the super green food I am taking. It shows 5392 mg of a combo - wheat grass, barley grass, alfalfa, spirulina, spinach, chlorella and broccoli.

 

Well... I am not really sure what it is that is working. I am doing soooo much! haha

How is the pulsing? Is it changing as the T?

 

Has any one tried a salicylate free diet for 4-6 weeks to see if there was a significant reduction in tinnitus? Aside from the medications, many foods are high in salicylates (spinach is high in salicylates) , and personal health care products such as toothpaste. My family has over the top reactions to foods or food additives after long term exposure. For example, my mother is doubled over sick for days if she eats carageenan. I have taken asprin and ibuprofen my entire life, and now both of those products make my tinnitus 3x as loud. Around the time of my dental work, I was taking lots of ibuprofen (combined with antibiotics), and maybe the buildup of salicylates in my system has made me sensitive to salicylates in foods too.
There are three categories of NSAIDs: salicylates, traditional NSAIDs, and COX-2 selective NSAIDs.

There are acetylated salicylates and non-acetylated salicylates. Aspirin is the best known acetylated salicylate, also called acetylsalicylic acid. Non-acetylated salicylates include choline and magnesium salicylates.

http://osteoarthritis.about.com/od/osteoarthritismedications/a/nsaids.htm

http://fedup.com.au/factsheets/additive-and-natural-chemical-factsheets/salicylates

How many people are salicylate intolerant and don't realise it?
Research shows that about 20% of adults with asthma1, 60% with of people with food-induced itchy rashes, headaches or migraines, 70% of people with irritable bowel symptoms2 and 75% of children with behaviour problems3 may be sensitive to salicylates. In my experience, most people with salicylate intolerance have no idea what could be affecting them.
High levels of salicylates are found in foods considered very good for you - does that surprise people?
Most people think fruit and vegetables are so healthy, you couldn't possibly eat too much of them.
One woman wrote: "From a cancer prevention perspective I am encouraged to eat a diet high in antioxidants (fruit and vege colours of the rainbow). How can I ensure I am getting the correct nutrition eliminating salicylates?"
"It's a myth that fruit is packed full of vitamins and minerals," says Tom Sanders, who is director of the Nutritional Sciences Division at King's College London. "... The really sad thing is that we don't eat enough vegetables, such as cabbage...' 4.
Salicylate sensitive people often think they should eat 'healthy' salicylate-containing foods despite unwanted side effects but this is wrong. Inflammation is increasingly regarded as a contributor to cancer and other diseases. If 'healthy' foods make you ill, they are not healthy for you. Of the top five foods found to be most effective in inhibiting growth of cancer cells, the top four are low in salicylates (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, garlic and shallots or scallions)5.

and one more good link,

http://www.ifood.tv/blog/top-10-food-contianing-salicylates

 

@stickywicket
I don't take any kind of ibuprofen or aspirin anymore if I can help it. Wasn't a fan of it anyway.

 

I currently cannot take ANY asprin, ibuprofen, etc without having my ears ring twice as loud. My diet of mostly fruit and veggies contains tons of naturally occurring salicylates from food. There are high amounts in tea, and in fruit etc. So the healthier I have been trying to eat, the more salicylates I ingest. And a few months back I started using avocado oil as a moisturizer, and slathered that on myself after showers. So, my sensodyne toothpaste, my peppermint mouthwash, my shampoo, my avocodo oil moisturizer, and all of the fruits and veggies I ate are high in salicylates.. which is a substance to which I've developed an intolerance! OK, it is just a theory, but I stopped eating / using anything with salicylates on Monday, and already the ringing has gone down some! http://failsafediet.wordpress.com/the-rpah-elimination-diet-failsafe/

 

very interesting sticky! Ilooked at this a few months back but didn't follow it through.. I'll check the foods I eat...

 

The

The main reason that I find this issue interesting is that tea is incredibly high in salicylates and tea makes my T go through the roof.

I'm going to give it a go for 1 week. I won't be able to cut them out completely but I'll aim for 95% ish... will let you know what happens!

Click

 

Hi Click, How did it go with the salicylate free week? I just reread one of your previous posts, and many of the foods you listed such as celery, brussel sporuts are on the no salicylate food list. Back in May I tried the salicylate free diet and had results and over the last few months I went astray. My T was crazy bad, and I re-examined my diet and again cut out the high amounts of salicylate. And the T has again gone down quite a bit. I'd be interested to know if you saw any change? Thank you.

Here is a link to the Salicylate forum http://salicylatesensitivity.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=148&page=1#Item_0

 

Found it interesting your profile pic is similar to min, lol. I am on a very strict diet to create myelin sheath in the colichea (sp?). Only started 6 days ago. Spinach is an every day thing... Ill look into that after reading about salicylates, i'll check the list. I just purchased Spirulina platensis water extract after reading the few studies (all from 2018). My T is up and down lately. From a 1 to a 6-7. But my anxiety is a little much and I think the T comes from that quite a bit.
My new favorite thing is hypnosis at night, with one earphone slightly in one ear, from Michael Sealey. He's all about sleep hypnosis. I'm a devout Christian and have made sure theres no subliminal messages lol. This gets me to sleep every time I need to rest.
My 1-2 days are so encouraging, but then it rises and I freak. I've had the 9 before (when it first came on) and it's nowhere I want to even remember. I also ordered a book that is about accepting the sound to habituate, rather than wait for it to go away. I take all my vitamins, and only pure capsules or liquids.
But this is tricky, so I will look into the salicylates list. Spinach??? who would of thought

 

Spirulina Prevent Caspase-Independent Apoptosis in the Cochlea and Brainstem of Senescence Accelerated Prone-8 Mice