title: Effects of natural antioxidant ginkgo biloba extract (EGB 761) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury.
abstract: Recently, it was reported that Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761), which is known to have antioxidant properties, also has antiarrhythmic effects on cardiac reperfusion-induced arrhythmias. In the present study, effects of EGb 761 on cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury were investigated from the point of view of recovery of mechanical function as well as the endogenous antioxidant status of ascorbate. Isolated rat hearts were perfused using the Langendorff technique, and 40 min of global ischemia were followed by 20 min of reperfusion. EGb 761 improved cardiac mechanical recovery and suppressed the leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) during reperfusion. Furthermore, EGb 761 diminished the decrease of myocardial ascorbate content after 40 min of ischemia and 20 min of reperfusion. Interestingly, EGb 761 also suppressed the increase of dehydroascorbate. These results indicate that EGb 761 protects against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury and suggest that the protective effects of EGb 761 depend on its antioxidant properties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley 94720.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Haramaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aggarwal
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawabata
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Droy-Lefaix
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packer
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D004578:Electron Spin Resonance Spectroscopy; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009206:Myocardium / Q000201:enzymology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015424:Reperfusion; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D003683:Dehydroascorbic Acid; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract