[Protecting Effects of Jian'erji on Age-related Hearing Loss of C57BL/6J Mice].

Objective To observe decreased hearing in aged C57BL/6J mice, and to study pro- tective effects of Jian' erji ( JEJ ) for age-related hearing loss (AHL) and its possible mechanism. Methods Totally 36 C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into four groups, i.e., the normal control group (n =6) , the AHL control group (n =12) , the high dose JEJ group (n =12) , the low dose JEJ group (n =6). Mice in the normal control group drank tap water from ablactation till 2 months old. Mice in the AHL control group drank tap water from ablactation till 7 months old. Mice in high and low dose JEJ groups drank JEJ at the daily dose of 3. 65 g/kg and 0. 91 g/kg respectively from ablactation till 7 months old. Six mice were selected from each group for auditory brainstem response (ABR) using brainstem evoked potentiometer on the day of ending the test. The cochlear tissue, auditory cortex, and liver were immediately collected from 6 mice of the high dose JEJ group and 6 of the AHL control group at the same ages. Contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) , end product of lipid peroxidation were detected by UV spectrophotometer using MDA coomassie blue kit. Results ABR thresholds evoked by short-pure tone from 4 to 48 KHz were in the normal range of 2 months old mice in the normal control group. Compared with 2 months old mice in the normal control group, ABR thresholds were significantly elevated in 7 months old mice of the AHL control group (P <0. 05). Significant differences also existed in ABR thresholds from 8 to 48 KHz in the high dose JEJ group (P <0. 05). Compared with 7 months old mice of the AHL control group, MDA contents in cochlear tissue, auditory cortex, and liver were obviously reduced in the high dose JEJ group (P <0. 01). Conclusions C57BL/6J mice showed significant symptoms of AHL in high frequency range at 7 months old. Daily drinking of high dose JEJ could significantly delay the occurrence and progress of AHL. Its protection might be related to antioxidant effects JEJ contained.