Panel A: Influence of benzyl alcohol on sample measurements. Curves with open symbols show samples taken in experiments without benzyl alcohol in the medium. The mean of the four curves is shown as solid symbols (solid symbols show the mean). Concentrations are shown normalized with respect to the applied concentration. TMPA levels were sometimes too low to reliably characterize the curve. The mean curve obtained when benzyl alcohol was included in the medium (dashed line, from Figure 2A) is shown for comparison. Lower levels of TMPA were found in the samples when benzyl alcohol was absent from the medium.
Panel B Influence of benzyl alcohol on the rate of TMPA clearance from the middle ear. TMPA was measured in the round window niche with TMPA-selective electrodes. The curves show mean TMPA concentrations measured in the niche without benzyl alcohol in the medium (dashed curve, n=18) or with 10 mg/ml benzyl alcohol present in the medium (solid curve, n=8). Bars indicate standard deviation. The rate of TMPA clearance from the middle ear was significantly slower when benzyl alcohol was included in the medium.