title: Effects of L-carnitine and ginkgo biloba extract (EG b 761) in experimental bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis.
abstract: The effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) and L-carnitine on bleomycin (BLM)-induced lung fibrosis were studied in rats. BLM (cumulative dose of 180 mgkg(-1)) was given intraperitoneally (i.p.) three times weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. Treatment with BLM enhanced the responsiveness of isolated pulmonary arterial rings to serotonin (5-HT), significantly increased the normal serum level of tumour necrosis factor (TNF-alpha) by approximately 105% and markedly elevated the level of lipid peroxide (LPO) and collagen content in the lung homogenates by 34 and 83%, respectively. EGb 761 (100 mgkg(-1) ), given in drinking water for the whole study period, totally abolished the BLM-induced alterations in the measured biochemical and pharmacological parameters. Meanwhile, L-carnitine (500 mg kg(-1) ), administered in drinking water, significantly decreased the BLM-induced elevations of serum TNF-alpha, LPO level in lung tissues and the enhanced responsiveness of pulmonary arterial rings to 5-HT. However,L-carnitine did not reduce the increase in the collagen content produced by BLM. The results of the present study indicate the beneficial effects of EGb 761 and L-carnitine against lung toxicity induced by BLM treatment. Furthermore, the present data shows the advantageous use of EGb 761 as a protective agent in BLM-induced lung fibrosis under the experimental circumstances.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Mohamed H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Daba
authors.forename: Abdel-Aziz H
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abdel-Aziz
authors.forename: Adel M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Moustafa
authors.forename: Abdulhakeem A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Majed
authors.forename: Othman A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Al-Shabanah
authors.forename: Hassan A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: El-Kashef
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000633:toxicity*; D002331:Carnitine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003094:Collagen / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D008054:Lipid Peroxides / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000187:drug effects; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D001761:Bleomycin; D002331:Carnitine; D003094:Collagen; D008054:Lipid Peroxides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D012701:Serotonin; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract