Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Jul;81(7):955-999.
doi: 10.1007/s00228-025-03844-4. Epub 2025 May 7.

Pentoxifylline uses in inner ear diseases

Ahmed Ramzi  1 , Subhia Maya  2 , Nadeen Balousha  3 , Mufreh Amin  4 , Rovan Ahmed Rouby  5 , Ghalia Aljarrah  6 , Dalia Gamal Elnady  7 , Ahmed Samir  8 , Thoria Ibrahim Essa Ghanm  1 , Zahraa Natheer Bhaya  9 , Abdallah Altarras  10 , Fares Abdelsalam  8 , Mohamed Yasser  11 , Mahmoud Samir  1 , Mostafa Ramzi Shiha  12
Affiliations

Pentoxifylline uses in inner ear diseases

Ahmed Ramzi et al. Eur J Clin Pharmacol. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

Background: Labyrinth or the inner ear consists of the cochlea (for hearing) and vestibular system (for balance), with disorders affecting hearing, balance, or both, and symptomatology including hearing loss, tinnitus, and vertigo. Regulatory-approved medications for inner ear diseases are rare worldwide relative to the frequency of those diseases. There are no FDA-approved medications for any inner ear disease. This is due to multiple reasons, including the lack of conclusive evidence for various drugs that have been investigated. We aim to contribute to the review endeavor by addressing pentoxifylline (PTX), a medication that has been studied for cochlear and vestibular disorders, yet its efficacy and safety have not been systematically reviewed in a publication.

Methods: More than a dozen databases from around the globe were systematically searched, including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane/CENTRAL, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Europe PMC, ICTRP, ClinicalTrials.gov, EU-CTR, PsycInfo, LILACS, WPRIM, IBECS, SciELO, CNKI, VIP, and Wanfang, to methodically compile experimental and analytical studies. Search results are up to January 2025. This work focused on workable reports in which PTX had distinct or attributable results and organized them into overarching categories of vertigo, hearing loss, and tinnitus.

Results: Forty studies, including 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), were included. Each condition was addressed in seven RCTs, with some overlap. Studies on inner ear vertigo reported significant outcomes for PTX. A large proportion of the literature involved idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSNHL), but its results were mixed. Studies on tinnitus suggest that PTX has similar efficacy to Ginkgo biloba extract and corticosteroids, two of the most prescribed medications. Adverse events were generally mild and rarely necessitated discontinuation.

Conclusion: Pentoxifylline could improve inner ear vertigo and tinnitus. In ISSNHL, results are inconsistent in the context of spontaneous recovery rates, albeit leaning toward ineffectiveness. Over a variety of regimens, it sustained good safety. The rigor and designs of the reports could not produce robust recommendations.

Keywords: Hearing loss; Pentoxifylline; Systematic review; Tinnitus; Vertigo.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

References

    1. Nondahl DM, Cruickshanks KJ, Huang GH, Klein BE, Klein R, Nieto FJ et al (2011) Tinnitus and its risk factors in the Beaver Dam offspring study. Int J Audiol 50(5):313–320. https://doi.org/10.3109/14992027.2010.551220 - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Chen JY, Guo ZQ, Wang J, Liu D, Tian E, Guo JQ et al (2023) Vestibular migraine or Menière’s disease: a diagnostic dilemma. J Neurol 270(4):1955–1968. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-022-11532-x - DOI - PubMed
    1. Rahman MU, Poe DS, Choi HK (2001) Autoimmune vestibulo-cochlear disorders. Curr Opin Rheumatol 13(3):184–189. https://doi.org/10.1097/00002281-200105000-00006 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Anari M, Axelsson A, Eliasson A, Magnusson L (1999) Hypersensitivity to sound—questionnaire data, audiometry, and classification. Scand Audiol 28(4):219–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/010503999424653 - DOI - PubMed
    1. McKenna L, Hallam RS, Hinchcliffe R (1991) The prevalence of psychological disturbance in neurotology outpatients. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 16(5):452–456. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2273.1991.tb02091.x - DOI - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources