title: Effect of Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb-761) on Recovery of Erectile Dysfunction in Bilateral Cavernous Nerve Injury Rat Model.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether the therapeutic effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) in a rat model can improve erectile dysfunction after bilateral cavernous nerve injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent cavernous nerve crush injury and were randomized into 4 groups, including: vehicle only, high-dose GBE, medium-dose GBE, and low-dose GBE. Eight animals underwent sham operation. Four weeks later, erectile function was assessed by cavernous nerve electrostimulation, and penile tissue was collected for histologic analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant recovery of erectile function was observed in the high-dose GBE group in a dose-dependent manner as compared with the vehicle-only group (P <.001). The high-dose GBE group had a significant increase in neurofilament-1 expression (P <.001), preservation of neural nitric oxide synthase nerve fibers of the dorsal penile nerve (P <.05), and increased smooth muscle cell content (P <.001) compared with the vehicle-only group. In addition, high-dose GBE markedly augments the smooth muscle-to-collagen ratio (P <.05) and reduces the apoptotic index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Administration of GBE increases neuron survival and preserves the neural nitric oxide synthase nerve fiber and contents of the corpus cavernosum after bilateral cavernous nerve injury. These implications indicate the beneficial effects of GBE use in the repair of the cavernous nerve and recovery of erectile function after radical prostatectomy.
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Program in Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-No
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Program in Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Hou
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Ph.D. Program in Nutrition and Food Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Cathay General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kuo-Chiang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Shih-Ping
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Basic Medicine, College of Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Surgery, Division of Urology, Cardinal Tien Hospital, New Taipei City, Taiwan; Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: 053824@mail.fju.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Han-Sun
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D020441:Ginkgo biloba; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010410:Penile Erection; D010413:Penis / Q000293:injuries / Q000294:innervation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D020127:Recovery of Function; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; C063170:Ginkgo biloba extract; D000096983:Ginkgo Extract