Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) attenuates lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion in rats: roles of oxidative stress and nitric oxide.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) on lung injury induced by intestinal ischemia/reperfusion (II/R).


METHODS
The rat model of II/R injury was produced by clamping the superior mesenteric artery for 60 min followed by reperfusion for 180 min. The rats were randomly allocated into sham, II/R, and EGb + II/R groups. In EGb + II/R group, EGb 761 (100 mg/kg per day) was given via a gastric tube for 7 consecutive days prior to surgery. Rats in II/R and sham groups were treated with equal volumes of the vehicle of EGb 761. Lung injury was assessed by light microscopy, wet-to-dry lung weight ratio (W/D) and pulmonary permeability index (PPI). The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitrite/nitrate (NO2(-)/NO3(-)), as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) were examined. Western blot was used to determine the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS).


RESULTS
EGb 761 markedly improved mean arterial pressure and attenuated lung injury, manifested by the improvement of histological changes and significant decreases of pulmonary W/D and PPI (P < 0.05 or 0.01). Moreover, EGb 761 markedly increased SOD activity, reduced MDA levels and MPO activity, and suppressed NO generation accompanied by down-regulation of iNOS expression (P < 0.05 or 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that EGb 761 has a protective effect on lung injury induced by II/R, which may be related to its antioxidant property and suppressions of neutrophil accumulation and iNOS-induced NO generation. EGb 761 seems to be an effective therapeutic agent for critically ill patients with respiratory failure related to II/R.
Liu
Ke-Xuan
KX
Department of Anesthesiology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510080, Guangdong Province, China. liukexuan807@yahoo.com.cn
Wu
Wei-Kang
WK
He
Wei
W
Liu
Chui-Liang
CL
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D007422:Intestines / Q000098:blood supply*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications*; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
D000975:Antioxidants; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020011:Protective Agents; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract