Nimodipine — Interesting Find? Could It Treat Tinnitus!

Hey,

Just reading an article someone shared with me via facebook about tinnitus and I noticed right at the bottom someone had left a comment see here -

http://www.livescience.com/46645-tinnitus-brain-process-emotions-amygdala.html

The person that left the comment mentioned "Nimodipine" as a tinnitus treatment. I googled Nimodipine and it appears that it works like this - Nimodipine binds specifically to L-type voltage-gated calcium channels.

This sound similar to Autifony's approach with the calcium channels? Maybe not....just thought it was interesting....

Rhea x

 

Autifony's AUT00063 is targeting potassium channels. I don't really know what potassium channels or calcium channels are though. Never heard of Nimodipine either. What's its original purpose?

 

@lapidus, ah yes Autifony's AUT00063 is aiming at potassium channels, not calcium channels. It all gets very technical lol.

Well according to wiki - dihydropyridinecalcium channel blocker - is what Nimodipine is. Used for high blood pressure.

Anyway, I contacted the guy who made the comment on the post... I'll let you know if he responds x

Rhea

 

Nimodipine (Bay e 9736) a new therapy concept in diseases of the inner ear?

The usefulness of nimodipine, an L-calcium channel antagonist, in the treatment of tinnitus

Try it. This is the first I've ever heard of this.

 

If it's for high blood pressure it seems to me that it could be beneficial for pulsitate T only, but I have no idea. Looking at the links @Mpt provided, this could also make the T worse, so be careful if you gonna try it out. We better call in the science guys on this one: @jazz @Hudson @bill 112 @benryu what exactly is this?

 

Nimodipine acts as a calcium channel blocker, the direct effect is to lower blood pressure. As you said, this may work for some blood circulation problem tinnitus (pretty rare).

It can also help some other "regular" tinnitus because a low blood pressure deprive blood from oxygen. Less oxygen means the brain has less energy and the neuronal hyperexcitability is less important.

But let's be clear, this is A VERY BAD idea and this is only VERY SHORT TERM. Plus such as Aspirin that lower blood pressure too, this drug is likely to increase tinnitus, or the low oxygenation is also likely to create some yoyo effect.

Forget about this drug

 

@lapidus, I agree with @benryu.

 

Ironically I found this post about the drug the other day...

"I have very bad tinnitus likely due to my age 67. You mention no medication will help. That is not correct. I use nimodipine 30 mg capsules which does not eliminate the tinnitus but cuts it back from 50 -70%. I can sleep now and work well throughout the day. The best time is to take a pill about an hour before you go to sleep. There may or may not be some tinnitus in the morning when you wake up but it is under control. Also do not eat for at least 2 hours before taking the pill and not under one hour after taking the pill. Take the pill with a full glass of water."

 

I found something interesting here.

In an open study 30 patients with the symptome of tinnitus were treated for 12 weeks with nimodipin (Bay e 9736) 3 × 30 mg/die. 12 patients showed sudden deafness with a history of one day up to more than 20 years. In six cases we observed complete remission, in two cases remission up to 70-80 %, in two cases slight improvement. Four patients showed no side reaction to the treatment of nimodipin. Ten patients suffered from so-called degenerative inner ear deafness. 3 (n = 10) showed complete remission, one nearly 90 % improvement, another patient showed 60 % improvement, one slight improvement, in 4 patients tinnitus persisted.

Vertigo-Morbus Menière: 4 out of 30 patients were included with the diagnosis of Morbus Menière with tinnitus. 3 (n = 4) showed complete remission of tinnitus, normal hearing level and no more symptoms of vertigo after 12 or less weeks of treatment with nimodipin. In one case with an history over more than 20 years only the vertigo could be cured.

Traumatic inner ear deafness is not apt to be treated with an agent such as nimodipin.

 

From a Facebook group: