title: Experimental evidence of Ginkgo biloba extract EGB as a neuroprotective agent in ischemia stroke rats.
abstract: EGb761 is a standard extract of Ginkgo biloba, which is a kind of traditional Chinese herbs that has widely used in clinic treatment of stroke in China. However, its effects against ischemic stroke have not been evaluated comprehensively and its neuroprotective mechanism has not really been explored. In the present study, magnetic resonance diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), neurological behavior and TTC staining were used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of EGb761 in rat ischemic models. Additionally, Western blot and immunohistochemistry were performed to measure the phosphorylations of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and Akt as well as the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in rat brains. The results showed that Ginkgo biloba extract injection significantly increased the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value and average diffusion coefficient (DCavg) value both in the peripheral zone and central zone, improved behavior scores, as well as enhanced the phosphorylations of AKT, CREB and the expression of BDNF in the brains. All these data demonstrate that EGb761 had significant therapeutic effects on ischemic stroke and it perhaps worked through activating the Akt-CREB-BDNF pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Capital Medical University, Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disorders of the Ministry of Education, No. 10 Xitoutiao, Youanmen, Beijing 100069, China.
authors.forename: Zhanjun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Dantao
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.forename: Haiyan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiaomin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000150:complications; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D038524:Diffusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000150:complications; D020521:Stroke / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D051058:Oncogene Protein v-akt; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract