Terpene trilactones from Gingko biloba: from ancient times to the 21st century.
Ginkgolides were always close to my heart. I continue to be strongly attracted to Ginkgo biloba, the ginkgolides and bilobalide. Starting in 1963, I became fascinated by these molecules while working on their isolation and structure elucidation in Sendai. Presumably, due to the ginkgolide studies, I received an invitation to join the faculty at Columbia University. After almost three decades of not touching the ginkgolide project, we have unexpectedly resumed the studies, at this time because of their enigmatic biological effects. This account is a reflection on earlier studies, as well as an outline of our current work.
Nakanishi
Koji
K
Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. kn5@columbia.edu
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D049674:History, 21st Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000266:history / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000187:drug effects; D018009:Receptors, Glycine / Q000187:drug effects; D013729:Terpenes / Q000266:history / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D007783:Lactones; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018009:Receptors, Glycine; D013729:Terpenes