title: Ginkgo biloba extract preserves pyruvate and enhances ascorbate in the cortex of gerbils during focal cerebral ischemia. A microdialysis-liquid chromatography study.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate dynamic changes in energy-related metabolites in the cortex of gerbils subjected to focal cerebral ischemia after pretreatment with Ginkgo biloba extract. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced by occlusion of the right common carotid artery and the right middle cerebral artery for 60 min in anesthetized gerbils. A microdialysis probe was inserted into the cortex to monitor extracellular lactate. pyruvate and ascorbate during ischemia and reperfusion. The present study demonstrated a dynamic decrease in pyruvate (25% of baseline) and increases in lactate (160% of baseline) and asorbate (300% of baseline) and a 5-fold increase in the lactate:pyruvate (L:P) ratio during cerebral ischemia in the control group. However. pyruvate levels were preserved and ascorbate levels were enhanced with a chronic pretreatment of Ginkgo biloba extract for 8 days (i.p., 100 mg kg(-1) day(-1)). Preservation of pyruvate and enhancement of ascorbate observed in this study may be associated with the neuroprotective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Laboratory, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung 40705, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ming-Shih
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Dar-Yu
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chen-Li
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Yea-Jiuan
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Lin-Lan
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Fu-Chou
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Cheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002853:Chromatography, Liquid / Q000379:methods*; D005849:Gerbillinae; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019289:Pyruvic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D019289:Pyruvic Acid; D001205:Ascorbic Acid