Another reason not to extrapolate from mouse studies to humans...

This study looks at the ototoxicity (substance that is toxic to hearing and/or balance) of a type of antibiotic called "aminoglycosides". When given to human beings, this type of medication is known to be very ototoxic and may cause serious and permanent hearing loss and balance problems. However, according to this study, the same effects are not seen in mice.

 

The list of ototoxic medications is long, and it includes not only certain antibiotics, but also NSAIDs, benzos, diuretics, certain cancer drugs, etc. For more info, check here:

 

https://www.soundrelief.com/list-of-ototoxic-medications/ 

 

 

Here's the mouse study I referred to:

 

"Intravenously delivered aminoglycoside antibiotics, tobramycin and amikacin, are not ototoxic in mice"

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31864009

 

Abstract

 

Many drugs on the World Health Organization's list of critical medicines are ototoxic, destroying sensory hair cells within the ear. These drugs preserve life, but patients can experience side effects including permanent hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction. Aminoglycoside ototoxicity was first recognised 80 years ago. However, no preventative treatments have been developed. In order to develop such treatments, we must identify the factors driving hair cell death. In vivo, studies of cell death are typically conducted using mouse models. However, a robust model of aminoglycoside ototoxicity does not exist. Previous studies testing aminoglycoside delivery via intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection have produced variable ototoxic effects in the mouse. As a result, surgical drug delivery to the rodent ear is often used to achieve ototoxicity. However, this technique does not accurately model clinical practice. In the clinic, aminoglycosides are administered to humans intravenously (i.v.). However, repeated i.v. delivery has not been reported in the mouse. This study evaluated whether repeated i.v. administration of amikacin or tobramycin would induce hearing loss. Daily i.v. injections over a two-week period were well tolerated and transient low frequency hearing loss was observed in the aminoglycoside treatment groups. However, the hearing changes observed did not mimic the high frequency patterns of hearing loss observed in humans. Our results indicate that the i.v. delivery of tobramycin or amikacin is not an effective technique for inducing ototoxicity in mice. This result is consistent with previously published reports indicating that the mouse cochlea is resistant to systemically delivered aminoglycoside ototoxicity.

I agree to an extent, Lapis, but the problem is that we have no choice.  There are no clinical trials going on with humans in benzo withdrawal let alone protracted withdrawal.  We have no choice but to experiment and experimenting often includes pulling up studies on Google Scholar and seeing if some rat study could possibly offer something that can make this hell just a little bit easier.  Eventually, somebody is going to find something that truly works and the whole forum will be grateful to them.  In the meantime, we just have to contend with the unknown. 

I agree to an extent, Lapis, but the problem is that we have no choice.  There are no clinical trials going on with humans in benzo withdrawal let alone protracted withdrawal.  We have no choice but to experiment and experimenting often includes pulling up studies on Google Scholar and seeing if some rat study could possibly offer something that can make this hell just a little bit easier.  Eventually, somebody is going to find something that truly works and the whole forum will be grateful to them.  In the meantime, we just have to contend with the unknown.

 

Yes, I understand, but it's important to keep in mind that rats or mice may react completely differently to a certain substance than human beings. In this case, the results ares opposite to those in human beings. Aminoglycosides are extremely ototoxic in humans, e.g. gentamicin can knock out the vestibular system to the point where a person has zero balance. This was explained in the first chapter of the book called "The Brain That Changes Itself", a book on neuroplasticity by Dr. Norman Doige. I remember it well, because my own vestibular system has been greatly affected by benzos and antidepressants, which are also ototoxic.

 

The bottom line is that mouse or rat studies must be considered preliminary. I had this discussion with a pharmacist some time ago when I came across a couple of mouse studies that warranted further clarification. He told me that such studies were preliminary and that "further study is required", which is a phrase that we find in the conclusion paragraph of many, many studies.