The effect of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on tympanosclerosis

Abstract Objective To investigate the effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) on tympanosclerosis. Materials and Methods Thirty-two male Sprague Dawley rats were separated into 4 groups as CAPE (n=10), alcohol (n=10), control (n=8) and normal (n=4) groups. All tympanic membranes except normal group were myringotomised and type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains was injected into their middle ears. Myringotomies were repeated for 5 weeks. Intraperitoneal (i.p) CAPE were administrated to the CAPE group at 10 μmol/kg/day and 10% ethyl alcohol administrated to the alcohol group for 5 weeks. The control group were left untreated. Findings of myringosclerosis were recorded by otomicroscope at sixth week. Then, all rats were sacrificed and tympanic membrane thickness and severity of middle ear mucosal inflammation evaluated histopathalogically. Results Severity of myringosclerosis was significantly higher in the alcohol and control groups compared to the CAPE group (p