title: Treatment with ginkgo biloba extract protects rats against acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury by modulating alveolar macrophage.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute pancreatitis (AP) protease release induces lung parenchymal destruction via inflammatory mediators. Ginkgo biloba has been reported to have anti-inflammatory effects.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of ginkgo biloba extract on experimental acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury in the rat and to investigate the underlying mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute pancreatitis was induced in rats by injection of 5% sodium taurocholate into the biliary pancreatic duct. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) was administered and pancreas and lung injury were assessed by histological examination. Alveolar macrophages were harvested by bronchoalveolar lavage. Specificity fluorescent probe DAF-FM-DA was applied to observe nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability in alveolar macrophage. The expression of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) protein in alveolar macrophage was studied by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis, treatment with GBE significantly protected rats against lung injury associated with pancreatitis in histological sections. Ginkgo biloba extract had a tendency to down-regulate NO bioavailability compared with the AP group, but without statistical significance. Moreover, TNF-α and MIF at protein levels in alveolar macrophage with GBE treatment were decreased compared with the AP group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that GBE could effectively protect rats against acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury. The GBE may inhibit excessive activation of alveolar macrophages from acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury through down-regulation of generation of NO, TNF-α and MIF. These findings suggest that ginkgo biloba extract is a suitable candidate as an effective strategy against acute pancreatitis-associated lung injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China ; Department of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Wu
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, the People's Hospital of Wenzhou, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Min
authors.initials: XM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yong-Heng
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Rong
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
authors.forename: Gong-Sheng
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Guo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Wenzhou Key Laboratory of Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Yi-Hu
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zheng
keywords: acute pancreatitis; alveolar macrophage; ginkgo biloba extract; lung injury