title: Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) promotes peripheral nerve regeneration and neovascularization after acellular nerve allografts in a rat model.
abstract: This study aimed to investigate whether or not ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) enhances peripheral nerve regeneration and vascularization after repair using acellular nerve allografts (ANA). Seventy-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three experimental groups: a unilateral 15-mm sciatic nerve defect was created and repaired with an autologous graft (autograft group); the same defect was repaired with an 18 mm ANA with an i.p. injection of normal saline for 10 days (saline group); and in the final group, the same defect was repaired with an 18 mm ANA with an i.p. injection of EGb 761 for 10 days (EGb 761 group). Axon outgrowth and vascularization were evaluated by immunocytochemistry 14 days post-implantation. The expression of genes associated with angiogenesis was analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) seven days post-implantation. Compared with the saline group, rats in the EGb 761 group significantly increased the number of myelinated fibers and the average diameter of the nerves within the graft. There is no significant difference between the EGb 761 group and the autograft group. The expression of CD34 and NF200 was significantly higher in the EGb 761 group than in the saline group. Additionally, EGb 761 treatment increased the expression of several angiogenesis-related genes, including Vegf, SOX18, Prom 1, and IL-6. In conclusion, ANA repair with EGb 761 treatment demonstrates effects on peripheral nerve regeneration and vascularization that are equal to those of autologous graft repair, and that are superior to ANA repair alone.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microsurgery and Hand Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China.
authors.forename: Zhaowei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.forename: Canbin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Chuang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jiakai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Qingtang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Xiaolin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D064591:Allografts / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000378:metabolism; D001369:Axons / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects; D009186:Myelin Sheath / Q000187:drug effects / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D009416:Nerve Regeneration / Q000187:drug effects*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology / Q000637:transplantation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract