[Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on neuronal apoptosis in rabbit with kaolin-induced syringomyelia].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on neuronal apoptosis in rabbits with kaolin-induced syringomyelia.


METHODS
Twenty-four of 30 Chinese white rabbits were subjected to injection of 25% kaolin mixed with equal volume (0.6 ml) of cerebrospinal fluid drawn from the cisterna magna under ketamine anesthesia. Twelve of these 24 rabbits then received intravenous injection of 5 ml of GBE (5 ml/days for 14 days, GBE treatment group) while the other 12 were treated with the same amount of saline administered in similar manner (saline group). The 6 rabbits without kaolin treatment received a sham operation to serve as the control group. At different time points after the operation, the rabbits were killed and the spinal cord samples examined by immunohistochemistry.


RESULTS
Histologically, ischemia and edema in the cervical cord of rabbits in GBE treatment group were less severe than those in saline group. TUNEL-positive and bax-positive neurons were less numerous in GBE treatment group than in saline group, and the former group showed more Bcl-2-positive neurons. The number of apoptotic neurons reached the peak level on day 7 after kaolin injection.


CONCLUSIONS
GBE can ameliorate kaolin-induced hydrocephalus in the upper cervical cord and inhibit kaolin-induced neuron apoptosis.
Yang
Guo-feng
GF
Department of Geriatric Neurology, General Hospital of PLA, Beijing 100853, China. yang-guofeng@163.com
Wang
Lu-ning
LN
Yang
Li-bin
LB
Zhang
Qing-jun
QJ
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D007616:Kaolin; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011817:Rabbits; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013595:Syringomyelia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007616:Kaolin