Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract in rats with hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced intestinal injury.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) in rat pups with hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced bowel injury.

METHODS:

One-day-old Wistar albino rat pups (n = 21) were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1 (control, untreated and not exposed to H/R, n = 7), group 2 (untreated but exposed to H/R, n = 7), and group 3 (EGb 761 + H/R, n = 7). Ginkgo biloba extract was administered (100 mg/kg per day, subcutaneously) to group 3 for 3 days. On the fourth day, all animals except controls were exposed to H/R and were killed 6 hours after H/R. Histopathologic injury scores (HIS), malondialdehyde, glutathione (GSH), GSH-peroxidase (Px) activities, and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured on intestinal samples.

RESULTS:

Although the control group had normal HIS, group 2 had grade 3 HIS. In contrast, group 3 had minimal HIS, and these results were significantly better than those of group 2 (P < .001). Malondialdehyde and NO levels of group 3 were significantly lower than those of group 2 (P < .01). Glutathione and GSH-Px activities of group 1 were higher than those of groups 2 and 3 (P < .05). However, there were no significant differences for GSH and GSH-Px activities between groups 2 and 3.

CONCLUSIONS:

This study showed that hypoxia and NO contributed to the pathogenesis of H/R-induced intestinal injury and that prophylactically administered EGb 761 had a protective effect on bowel injury.

• Authors: Özmert M A Özdemir, Hacer Ergin, Çigdem Yenisey, Nilay Şen Türk
• Journal: Journal of pediatric surgery (J Pediatr Surg) Vol. 46 Issue 4 Pg. 685-690 (Apr 2011) ISSN: 1531-5037 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 21496538 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Plant Extracts
• Ginkgo biloba extract
• Nitric Oxide
• Malondialdehyde

Topics

• Animals
• Animals, Newborn
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Ginkgo biloba
• Hypoxia
• Ileal Diseases (metabolism, prevention & control)
• Ileum (blood supply)
• Injections, Subcutaneous
• Lipid Peroxidation (drug effects)
• Malondialdehyde (metabolism)
• Nitric Oxide (metabolism)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Plant Extracts (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Reperfusion Injury (metabolism, prevention & control)
• Treatment Outcome