Ginkgo biloba prevents mobile phone-induced oxidative stress in rat brain.
BACKGROUND
The widespread use of mobile phones (MP) in recent years has raised the research activities in many countries to determine the consequences of exposure to the low-intensity electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of mobile phones. Since several experimental studies suggest a role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in EMR-induced oxidative damage in tissues, in this study, we investigated the effect of Ginkgo biloba (Gb) on MP-induced oxidative damage in brain tissue of rats.


METHODS
Rats (EMR+) were exposed to 900 MHz EMR from MP for 7 days (1 h/day). In the EMR+Gb groups, rats were exposed to EMR and pretreated with Gb. Control and Gb-administrated groups were produced by turning off the mobile phone while the animals were in the same exposure conditions. Subsequently, oxidative stress markers and pathological changes in brain tissue were examined for each groups.


RESULTS
Oxidative damage was evident by the: (i) increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in brain tissue, (ii) decrease in brain superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities and (iii) increase in brain xanthine oxidase (XO) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities. These alterations were prevented by Gb treatment. Furthermore, Gb prevented the MP-induced cellular injury in brain tissue histopathologically.


CONCLUSIONS
Reactive oxygen species may play a role in the mechanism that has been proposed to explain the biological side effects of MP, and Gb prevents the MP-induced oxidative stress to preserve antioxidant enzymes activity in brain tissue.
Ilhan
Atilla
A
Department of Neurology, Inonu University, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, 44069 Malatya, Turkey. ailhan@inonu.edu.tr
Gurel
Ahmet
A
Armutcu
Ferah
F
Kamisli
Suat
S
Iraz
Mustafa
M
Akyol
Omer
O
Ozen
Suleyman
S
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000032:analysis; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D040421:Cell Phone; D004574:Electromagnetic Fields / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts