title: Preventative effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761) on high glucose-cultured opacity of rat lens.
abstract: Diabetic cataract is one of the earliest secondary complications of diabetes, and it is characterized by opacification of the eye lens. In this study, we examined the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb761) on rat lenses cultured in high-glucose conditions. The cultured rat lenses were divided into six groups: normal group, high-glucose group, high glucose plus low, medium, and high concentrations of EGb761 groups, and a high glucose plus bendazac lysine group. The activities of antioxidases, aldose reductase, advanced glycosylation end products, transforming growth factor-β2, Smad2/3, E-cadherin, and α-smooth muscle actin were assessed by different methods. Compared with the levels in the high glucose group, EGb761 decreased the intensity of oxidative stress, decreased aldose reductase activation and the level of advanced glycosylation end products, and suppress the transforming growth factor-β2 or Smad pathway activation, further increase the expression of E-cadherin and decrease α-smooth muscle actin, and therefore, prevents the pathological changes of high glucose-induced lens epithelial cells and ameliorated lens opacity. These results suggest that EGb761 has protective effects on several pharmacological targets in the progress of diabetic cataract and is a potential drug for the prevention of diabetic cataract.
authors.affiliation: Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Department of Pharmacology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China; Laboratory of New Drugs and Clinical Application, Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou, 221004, China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Mingzhu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Xiaoxing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yin
mesh_terms: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002386:Cataract / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D005947:Glucose / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000737:chemistry; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000378:metabolism; D007908:Lens, Crystalline / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D000449:Aldehyde Reductase; D003470:Culture Media; D005947:Glucose; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
keywords: Ginkgo biloba extract; TGF-β2; high glucose; lens opacity; oxidative stress