Drug to treat malaria could mitigate hereditary hearing loss

(Case Western Reserve University) The ability to hear depends on proteins to reach the outer membrane of sensory cells in the inner ear. But in certain types of hereditary hearing loss, mutations in the protein prevent it from reaching these membranes. Using a zebrafish model, researchers at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine have found that an anti-malarial drug called artemisinin may help prevent hearing loss associated with this genetic disorder.
Source: EurekAlert! - Medicine and Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news