title: [Ginkgo biloba extract enhances the immune function of spleen and thymus in SD rats].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) on the immune function of spleen and thymus in SD rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups (10 rats each group). Three experimental groups were given GBE daily by gavage in doses of 40, 120, 360 mg/(kg.d), respectively. Animals in the control group were fed the same amount of PBS. After 28 days, the rats were sacrificed by chloral hydrate anesthesia. The spleen and thymus were harvested to determine the organ index first. MTT assay was used to detect the concanavalin A (ConA)-induced splenic lymphocyte proliferation and transformation. Neutral red assay was performed to measure the rat peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis. The ultrastructural changes of spleen and thymus were observed under scanning electron microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of GBE in the rats increased the mass indexes of rat thymus and spleen, dose-dependently elevated the lymphocyte proliferative responses and enhanced the peritoneal macrophage phagocytosis. In experimental groups, the numbers of mature spleen and thymus lymphocytes were significantly raised in comparison with the control rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  GBE plays a regulatory role in immune function of the rat by increasing the mass of immune organs, increasing the number of mature T lymphocytes as well as their proliferative responses, and enhancing the phagocytic capacity of peritoneal macrophages.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, School of Basic Medicine, Dali University, Dali 671000, China.
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, China.
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Si
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Lincang Health School, Lincang 677000, China.
authors.forename: Xiangneng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Medicine, Luohe Medical College, Luohe 462000, China.
authors.forename: Zhansheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000737:chemistry*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts