Commonly used in cases of Tylenol toxicity, n-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) has been packaged in recent years as a potential supplement to aid in the prevention of or recovery from noise-induced hearing loss. Considering the vast numbers of young soldiers serving around the globe who are exposed to elevated levels of noise on a regular basis, a simple pill that could save the ear’s delicate sensory hair cells would be a welcome solution to a growing problem. According to the Institute of Medicine, hearing loss is the third most common disability among retired veterans.
Now, two of
the scientists who have been working on the NAC equation are taking their
research one step further. Richard Kopke of the Hough Ear Institute and Robert
Floyd of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation have combined NAC with a
cancer drug known as 4-OHPBN nitrone. Initial studies that have been completed
in laboratory chinchillas treated with the drug compound have demonstrated a
90% retention of hearing in the animals following traumatic noise exposure. Although promising, safety of the drug compound in humans is yet to be established and the
researchers are hoping to begin clinical trials within two years.
