title: Comparison of the antioxidant activity amongst Gingko biloba extract and its main components.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the antioxidant activity amongst the extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb) and its main components, flavonoids and terpenoids.
  
  
  METHODS
  The induction of EGb, flavonoids and terpenoids on a typical antioxidant enzyme, glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC), in cell lines was detected by Western-blot. The effects of EGb, flavonoids and terpenoids on superoxide anion radical (O2*(-)), hydroxyl radical (OH*), rat erythrocyte hemolysis and lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenate were determined by respective activity methods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGb and flavonoids but not terpenoids were demonstrated significantly to induce the antioxidant enzyme (GCLC), directly scavenge O2*(-), OH* and inhibit rat erythrocyte hemolysis and lipid peroxidation of rat liver homogenate. Compared these antioxidant activities between EGb and flavonoids, the activities of flavonoids were weaker than those of EGb, which contains similar dose of flavonoids.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGb has stronger antioxidant activities than flavonoids, but terpenoids did not show antioxidant activity in this research.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Pharmacy and Therapeutics,Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241001, China. liuxiaoping@wnmc.edu.cn
authors.forename: Xiao-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jia-Jie
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Luan
authors.forename: Christopher E P
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Goldring
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers / Q000494:pharmacology; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism*; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D013729:Terpenes / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D016166:Free Radical Scavengers; D005609:Free Radicals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase