A critical review of current technologies used to reduce ginkgotoxin, ginkgotoxin-5'-glucoside, ginkgolic acid, allergic glycoprotein, and cyanide in Ginkgo biloba L. seed

Separation and purification of polyprenols from Ginkgo biloba leaves by silver ion anchored on imidazole-based ionic liquid functionalized mesoporous MCM-41 sorbent

Polyprenols (PPs) are compounds with excellent biological activities and are applied in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. However, its strong non-polar nature makes it difficult to separate with many saturated impurities (such as saturated fatty acids) extracted together. Complexation extraction is an effective method for separating saturated and polyunsaturated compounds. In this study, mesoporous silica MCM-41 was modified by imidazole-based ionic liquids (IL) followed by coating these MCM-41-supported IL compounds with silver salt to construct π-complexing adsorbent (AgBF4/IL•MCM-41) to enrich PPs from Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBL) extract. The mesoporous π-complexing sorbent was characterized by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), FTIR, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption. The effect of the ratio of silver salt to IL•MCM-41 on the adsorption capacity of polyprenols from GBL was compared, and the dosage of AgBF4 was determined to be 1.5 mmol/g IL•MCM-41. Adsorption isotherms and kinetics indicate that the π-complexing adsorbent has excellent PPs adsorption performance (153 mg/g at 30 °C) and a fast adsorption rate (the time to reach adsorption equilibrium is 210 s). The PPs were separated using the fixed bed after treatment for only one cycle with AgBF4/IL•MCM-41, and the content of PPs in the product was increased from 38.54% to 70.2%, with a recovery rate of 86.6%. The π-complexing adsorbent showed excellent reusability for ≥3 adsorption-desorption cycles.

Optimization of α-L-arabinofuranosidase CcABF on clarification and beneficial active substances in fermented ginkgo kernel juice by artificial neural network and genetic algorithm

This study aimed at using α-L-arabinofuranosidase CcABF to improve the clarity and active substances in fermented ginkgo kernel juice by artificial neural network (ANN) modeling and genetic algorithm (GA) optimization. A credible three-layer feedforward ANN model was established to predict the optimal parameters for CcABF clarification. The experiments proved the highest transmittance of 89.40% for fermented ginkgo kernel juice with this understanding, which exhibited a 25.56% increase over the unclarified group. With the clarification of CcABF, the antioxidant capacity in juice was enhanced with the increase of total phenolic and flavone contents, and the maximum DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging rates were increased by 89.71% and 26.65%, respectively. The contents of toxic ginkgolic acids declined markedly, while the active ingredients of ginkgetin and ginkgolide B showed a modest increase. Moreover, changes in free amino acids and volatile compounds improved the nutritive value and flavor of clarified fermented ginkgo kernel juice.

Ginkgolic acids induce liver injury in mice through cell cycle arrest and immune stress under specific condition

Ginkgo biloba L. is a valuable plant, which can be used for medicine, food and ornamental purposes. Despite the above benefits, the components of ginkgolic acids (GA) in ginkgo are considered to cause allergies, embryotoxicity, liver damage and some other adverse reactions. However, the mechanism of GA induced liver injury is still unclear. In this study, we developed an acute liver injury model induced by GA in mice, and investigated the mechanism of GA induced liver injury from the perspectives of oxidative stress, steatosis, apoptosis, and immune response. Intraperitoneal injection of GA (400 mg/kg) can cause liver damage. The levels of serum transaminase, oxidation and triglycerides were increased, liver fibrosis, hepatocyte apoptosis, G2/M phase arrest of the hepatic cell cycle and monocyte infiltration in the liver were detected in GA-treated mice. Flow cytometry analysis of cells separated from the spleen showed that the proportion of Th1 and Th17 cells were increased, and the proportion of Th2 cells were decreased in GA-treated mice. The rise in Th1/Th2 ratio and Th17 cell ratio usually cause inflammatory problems. At the same time, cleaved Caspase-8 and Caspase-3 were detected in hepatocytes, indicating that GA may induce apoptosis through FADD pathway. Although GA is capable of causing the above problems, the inflammation and damage in liver tissue are not severe and there are certain individual differences. Our study reveals the potential hepatotoxicity of GA in ginkgo and its mechanism of action, providing a new perspective for the intervention and prevention of ginkgo toxicity.

Combinative effect of pulsed-light irradiation and solid-state fermentation on ginkgolic acids, ginkgols, ginkgolides, bilobalide, flavonoids, product quality and sensory assessment of Ginkgo biloba dark tea

Pulsed light (PL) is a prospective non-thermal technology that can improve the degradation of ginkgolic acid (GA) and retain the main bioactive compounds in Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBL). However, only using PL hasn't yet achieved the ideal effect of reducing GA. Fermentation of GBL to make ginkgo dark tea (GDT) could decrease GA. Because different microbial strains are used for fermentation, their metabolites and product quality might differ. However, there is no research on the combinative effect of PL irradiation fixation and microbial strain fermentation on main bioactive compounds and sensory assessment of GDT. In this research, first, Bacillus subtilis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were selected as fermentation strains that can reduce GA from the five microbial strains. Next, the fresh GBL was irradiated by PL for 200 s (fluences of 0.52 J/cm2), followed by B. subtilis, S. cerevisiae, or natural fermentation to make GDT. The results showed that compared with the control (unirradiated and unfermented GBL) and the only PL irradiated GBL, the GA in GDT using PL + B. subtilis fermentation was the lowest, decreasing by 29.74%; PL + natural fermentation reduced by 24.53%. The total flavonoid content increased by 14.64% in GDT using PL + B. subtilis fermentation, whose phenolic and antioxidant levels also increased significantly. Sensory evaluation showed that the color, aroma, and taste of the tea infusion of PL + B. subtilis fermentation had the highest scores. In conclusion, the combined PL irradiation and solid-state fermentation using B. subtilis can effectively reduce GA and increase the main bioactive compounds, thus providing a new technological approach for GDT with lower GA.

Development, Validation, and Application of High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode-Array Detection Method for Simultaneous Determination of Ginkgolic Acids and Ginkgols in Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba leaves (GBLs), which comprise many phytoconstituents, also contain a toxic substance named ginkgolic acid (GA). Our previous research showed that heating could decarboxylate and degrade GA into ginkgols with high levels of bioactivity. Several methods are available to measure GA in GBLs, but no analytical method has been developed to measure ginkgols and GA simultaneously. Hence, for the first time, an HPLC-DAD method was established to simultaneously determine GA and ginkgols using acetonitrile (0.01% trifluoroacetic acid, v/v) as mobile phase A and water (0.01% trifluoroacetic acid, v/v) as mobile phase B. The gradient elution conditions were: 0-30 min, 75-90% phase A; 30-35 min, 90-90% phase A; 35-36 min, 90-75% phase A; 36-46 min, 75-75% phase A. The detection wavelength of GA and ginkgol were 210 and 270 nm, respectively. The flow rate and injection volume were 1.0 mL/min and 50 μL, respectively. The linearity was excellent (R2 > 0.999), and the RSD of the precision, stability, and repeatability of the total ginkgols was 0.20%, 2.21%, and 2.45%, respectively, in six parallel determinations. The recoveries for the low, medium, and high groups were 96.58%, 97.67%, and 101.52%, respectively. The limit of detection of ginkgol C13:0, C15:1, and C17:1 was 0.61 ppm, 0.50 ppm, and 0.06 ppm, respectively. The limit of quantification of ginkgol C13:0, C15:1, and C17:1 was 2.01 ppm, 1.65 ppm, and 0.20 ppm, respectively. Finally, this method accurately measured the GA and ginkgol content in ginkgo leaves and ginkgo tea products (ginkgo black tea, ginkgo dark tea, ginkgo white tea, and ginkgo green tea), whereas principal component analysis (PCA) was performed to help visualize the association between GA and ginkgols and five different processing methods for GBLs. Thus, this research provides an efficient and accurate quantitative method for the subsequent detection of GA and ginkgols in ginkgo tea.

Self-assembly of CuAuTA nanozymes for intelligent detection of ginkgolic acids

Toxic ginkgolic acids (GAs) are a challenge for Ginkgo biloba-related food. Although a detection method for GAs is available, bulky instruments limit the field testing of GAs. Herein, by assembling gold nanoclusters with copper tannic acid (CuTA), CuAuTA nanocomposites were designed as peroxidase mimics for the colorimetric determination of GAs. Compared with single CuTA, the obtained CuAuTA nanocomposites possessed enhanced peroxidase-like properties. Based on the inhibitory effect of GAs for the catalytic activity of CuAuTA nanozymes, CuAuTA could be utilized for the colorimetric sensing of GAs with a low limit of quantitation of 0.17 μg mL-1. Using a smartphone and the ImageJ software in conjunction, a nanozyme-based intelligent detection platform was developed with a detection limit of 0.86 μg mL-1. This sensing system exhibited good selectivity against other potential interferents. Experimental data demonstrated that GAs might bind to the surface of CuAuTA, blocking the catalytically active sites and resulting in decreased catalytic activity. Our CuAuTA nanozyme-based system could also be applied to detect real ginkgo nut and ginkgo powder samples with recoveries of 93.12-111.6% and relative standard deviations less than 0.3%. Our work may offer a feasible strategy for the determination of GAs and expand the application of nanozymes in food safety detection.

Effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Growth, Development, and Flavonoid Synthesis in Ginkgo biloba

Ginkgo biloba is a highly valuable medicinal plant known for its rich secondary metabolites, including flavonoids. Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) can be used as nanofertilizers and nano-growth regulators to promote plant growth and development. However, little is known about the effects of ZnO-NPs on flavonoids in G. biloba. In this study, G. biloba was treated with different concentrations of ZnO-NPs (25, 50, 100 mg/L), and it was found that 25 mg/L of ZnO-NPs enhanced G. biloba fresh weight, dry weight, zinc content, and flavonoids, while 50 and 100 mg/L had an inhibitory effect on plant growth. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcription (qRT)-PCR revealed that the increased total flavonoids and flavonols were mainly due to the promotion of the expression of flavonol structural genes such as GbF3H, GbF3'H, and GbFLS. Additionally, when the GbF3H gene was overexpressed in tobacco and G. biloba calli, an increase in total flavonoid content was observed. These findings indicate that 25 mg/L of ZnO-NPs play a crucial role in G. biloba growth and the accumulation of flavonoids, which can potentially promote the yield and quality of G. biloba in production.

Polyprenols in Ginkgo biloba; a review of their chemistry (synthesis of polyprenols and their derivatives), extraction, purification, and bioactivities

The Ginkgo biloba L. (GB) contains high bioactive compounds. To date, flavonoids and terpene trilactone have received the majority of attention in GB studies, and the GB has been utilized globally in functional food and pharmacological firms, with sales > $10 billion since 2017, while the other active components, for instance, polyprenols (a natural lipid) with various bioactivities have received less attention. Hence, this review focused on polyprenols' chemistry (synthesis of polyprenols and their derivatives) extraction, purification, and bioactivities from GB for the first time. The various extractions and purification methods (nano silica-based adsorbent, bulk ionic liquid membrane, etc.) were delved into, and their advantages and limitations were discussed. Besides, numerous bioactivities of the extracted Ginkgo biloba polyprenols (GBP) were reviewed. The review showed that GB contains some polyprenols in acetic esters' form. Prenylacetic esters are free of adverse effects. Besides, the polyprenols from GB have numerous bioactivities such as anti-bacterial, anti-cancer, anti-viral activity, etc. The application of GBPs in the food, cosmetics, and drugs industries such as micelles, liposomes, and nano-emulsions was delved into. Finally, the toxicity of polyprenol was reviewed, and it was concluded that GBP was not carcinogenic, teratogenic, or mutagenic, giving a theoretical justification for using GBP as a raw material for functional foods. This article will aid researchers to better understand the need to explore GBP usage.

Ginkgols and bilobols in Ginkgo biloba L. A review of their extraction and bioactivities

Ginkgo biloba (GB) has enormous bioactives with anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and immune-stimulating properties, with global sales exceeding $10 billion. The terpene trilactones (ginkgolides A, B, and C) and flavonoids (mostly quercetin, isorhamnetin, and kaempferol) have received the most significant focus in GB research to date, whereas other bioactive compounds such as ginkgols and bilobols with various bioactivities such as anti-viral, anti-oxidant, and anti-tumor actions have received less attention. Therefore, for the first time, this review focused on GB ginkgols, bilobols extraction, and bioactivities. This review showed that petroleum ether and acetone extraction had successfully extracted ginkgols and bilobols. Furthermore, bioactivities such as anti-tumor activity and so on have been demonstrated for ginkgols, and bilobols, providing theoretical justification for ginkgols and bilobol as raw material for nutraceuticals, functional foods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmeceuticals. Future research could look into other biological applications (such as anti-oxidant, antitoxins, anti-radiation, anti-microbial, and antiparasite) and their applications in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and nutraceutical industries. Besides, the primary research should be on developing green and effective methods for preparing ginkgols and bilobols and fully utilizing their pharmacological activity. This will also provide a new avenue for efficiently utilizing these bioactive compounds.

Genetic diversity, population structure, and genome-wide association analysis of ginkgo cultivars

Ginkgo biloba is an economically valuable tree worldwide. The species has nearly become extinct during the Quaternary, which has likely resulted in reduction of its genetic variability. The genetic variability is now conserved in few natural populations in China and a number of cultivars that are, however, derived from a few ancient trees, helping the species survive in China through medieval times. Despite the recent interest in ginkgo, however, detailed knowledge of its genetic diversity, conserved in cultivated trees and cultivars, has remained poor. This limits efficient conservation of its diversity as well as efficient use of the existing germplasm resources. Here we performed genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) on 102 cultivated germplasms of ginkgo collected to explore their genetic structure, kinship, and inbreeding prediction. For the first time in ginkgo, a genome-wide association analysis study (GWAS) was used to attempt gene mapping of seed traits. The results showed that most of the germplasms did not show any obvious genetic relationship. The size of the ginkgo germplasm population expanded significantly around 1500 years ago during the Sui and Tang dynasties. Classification of seed cultivars based on a phylogenetic perspective does not support the current classification criteria based on phenotype. Twenty-four candidate genes were localized after performing GWAS on the seed traits. Overall, this study reveals the genetic basis of ginkgo seed traits and provides insights into its cultivation history. These findings will facilitate the conservation and utilization of the domesticated germplasms of this living fossil plant.

Novel mechanisms for the synthesis of important secondary metabolites in Ginkgo biloba seed revealed by multi-omics data

Although the detailed biosynthetic mechanism is still unclear, the unique secondary metabolites of Ginkgo biloba, including ginkgolic acids (GAs) and terpene trilactones, have attracted increasing attention for their potent medicinal, physiological and biochemical properties. In particular, GAs have shown great potential in the fields of antibacterial and insecticidal activities, making it urgent to elucidate their biosynthetic mechanism. In this study, we systematically revealed the landscape of metabolic-transcriptional regulation across continuous growth stages of G. biloba seeds (GBS) based on multi-omics mining and experimental verification, and successfully identified all major types of GAs and terpene trilactones along with more than a thousand kinds of other metabolites. The phenological changes and the essential gene families associated with these unique metabolites were analyzed in detail, and several potential regulatory factors were successfully identified based on co-expression association analysis. In addition, we unexpectedly found the close relationship between large introns and the biosynthesis of these secondary metabolites. These genes with large introns related to the synthesis of secondary metabolites showed higher gene expression and expression stability in different tissues or growth stages. Our results may provide a new perspective for the study of the regulatory mechanism of these unique secondary metabolites in GBS.

Nootropic Herbs, Shrubs, and Trees as Potential Cognitive Enhancers

Plant-based nootropics are a diverse group of natural drugs that can improve cognitive abilities through various physiological mechanisms, especially in cases where these functions are weakened or impaired. In many cases, the nootropics enhance erythrocyte plasticity and inhibit aggregation, which improves the blood's rheological properties and increases its flow to the brain. Many of these formulations possess antioxidant activity that protects brain tissue from neurotoxicity and improves the brain's oxygen supply. They can induce the synthesis of neuronal proteins, nucleic acids, and phospholipids for constructing and repairing neurohormonal membranes. These natural compounds can potentially be present in a great variety of herbs, shrubs, and even some trees and vines. The plant species reviewed here were selected based on the availability of verifiable experimental data and clinical trials investigating potential nootropic effects. Original research articles, relevant animal studies, meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and clinical trials were included in this review. Selected representatives of this heterogeneous group included Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst., Centella asiatica (L.) Urban, Eleutherococcus senticosus (Rupr. & Maxim.) Maxim., Ginkgo biloba L., Lepidium meyenii Walp., Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, Paullinia cupana Kunth, Rhodiola rosea L., Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. The species are depicted and described, together with their active components and nootropic effects, and evidence of their efficacy is presented. The study provides brief descriptions of the representative species, their occurrence, history, and the chemical composition of the principle medicinal compounds, with uses, indications, experimental treatments, dosages, possible side effects, and contraindications. Most plant nootropics must be taken at optimal doses for extended periods before measurable improvement occurs, but they are generally very well tolerated. Their psychoactive properties are not produced by a single molecule but by a synergistic combination of several compounds. The available data suggest that including extracts from these plants in medicinal products to treat cognitive disorders can have substantial potential therapeutic benefits.

Isolation of the Main Biologically Active Substances and Phytochemical Analysis of Ginkgo biloba Callus Culture Extracts

The work reveals the results of studying the content of biologically active substances in samples of extracts of Ginkgo biloba callus cultures. Callus cultures grown in vitro on liquid nutrient media were the objects of the study. Considering various factors affecting the yield of the target components during extraction, the volume fraction of the organic modifier in the extracting mixture, the temperature factor, and the exposure time were identified as the main ones. The maximum yield of extractive substances (target biologically active substances with a degree of extraction of at least 50%) from the samples of callus culture extracts was detected at a ratio of extragent of 70% ethanol, a temperature of 50 °C, and exposure time of 6 h. Flavonoids, such as luteolin, quercetin, isoramentin, kaempferol, and amentoflavone, were isolated in the extract samples. As a result of column chromatography, fractions of individual biologically active substances (bilobalide, ginkgolide A, B, and C) were determined. The proposed schemes are focused on preserving the nativity while ensuring maximum purification from associated (ballast) components. Sorbents (Sephadex LH-20, poly-amide, silica gel) were used in successive stages of chromatography with rechromatography. The degree of purity of individually isolated substances was at least 95%.

Site-Directed Mutation of Salicylate Decarboxylase Gene and Mechanism of Ginkgo Acid Decarboxylation

Ginkgo seed is an important Chinese medicine and food resource in China, but the toxicity of ginkgo acid in it limits its application. Previous studies have found that salicylic acid decarboxylase (Sdc) has a decarboxylation degradation effect on ginkgo acid. In order to improve the decarboxylation ability of Sdc to Ginkgo acid, 11 residues of the Sdc around the substrate (salicylic acid) were determined as mutation targets according to the analysis of crystal structure of Sdc (PDB ID:6JQX), from Trichosporon moniliiforme WU-0401, and a total of 30 single point mutant enzymes and one compound mutant enzyme were obtained. With Ginkgo acid C15:1 as the substrate, it was found from activity assay that Sdc-Y64T and Sdc-P191A had higher decarboxylation activity, which increased by 105.18% and 116.74% compared with that of wild type Sdc, respectively. The optimal pH for Sdc Y64T and Sdc-P191A to decarboxylate Ginkgo acid C15:1 was 5.5, which is the same as the wild type Sdc. The optimal temperature of Sdc-P191A was 50 °C, which was consistent with that of the wild type Sdc, but the optimal temperature of the mutant Sdc-Y64T was 40 °C, which was 10 °C lower than that of wild type Sdc.

Leaves, seeds and exocarp of Ginkgo biloba L. (Ginkgoaceae): A Comprehensive Review of Traditional Uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, resource utilization and toxicity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Ginkgo biloba L. (Ginkgoaceae) is a treasure species with high medicinal value. The Ming Dynasty "Compendium of Materia Medica" and Qing Dynasty "Bencao Fengyuan" in China recorded this herbal medicine can reduce phlegm, clear poison, treat diarrhea and frequent urination, etc. AIM OF THE STUDY: Until now, there is no painstakingly summarized review on leaves, seeds and exocarp of G. biloba simultaneously. This review will systematically summarize and compare current knowledge of G. biloba.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Ample original publications related to traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, resource utilization and toxicity of G. biloba leaves, seeds and exocarp till the end of 2021 were searched and collected by using various literature databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, Elsevier, Springer, Google Scholar and Web of Science database.

RESULTS

According to classical Chinese herbal books and Chinese Pharmacopoeia, relieving cough, reducing phlegm, clearing poison and relieving diarrhea are the main pharmacological effects of G. biloba. The common chemical ingredients in different parts of G. biloba are flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, polysaccharides and endotoxin, etc. Among them, flavonoids and terpenoids are the main bioactive compounds in G. biloba leaves. Phenolic acids are the main bioactive compounds in G. biloba exocarp. G. biloba seeds are rich in nutritional ingredients, such as starch, adipose, protein, etc. Modern pharmacological studies showed that the crude extracts or compounds of G. biloba leaves, seeds and exocarp can be used for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease, atherosclerosis, cancer, asthma, non-alcoholic fatty liver, diabetic complications and other diseases. In daily life, G. biloba seeds were usually used as raw material or additives for commodities, healthy food, drinks, even insecticides and antibacterial agents, etc. G. biloba leaves and seeds have been mainly applied for treating cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cough and asthma in clinical. However, endotoxins and ginkgolic acids have been identified as the dominating toxic ingredients in different parts of G. biloba. Besides, flavonoids and ginkgolides also have been proved to have toxicity recently.

CONCLUSIONS

This review systematically sums up and compares the traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, resource utilization and toxicity research progress of G. biloba leaves, seeds and exocarp for the first time. It will provide some comprehensive reference data and suggestions for future research on this herbal medicine.

Extraction, Purification, and Elucidation of Six Ginkgol Homologs from Ginkgo biloba Sarcotesta and Evaluation of Their Anticancer Activities

Ginkgols are active constituents from Ginkgo biloba L. (GB) and have pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial and antioxidant activities. In our previous report, only five ginkgols were separated. However, ginkgol C17:1 had two isomers, for which their separation, identification, and bioactivities have not yet been investigated. Hence, this research reports the successful isolation of six ginkgol homologs with alkyl substituents-C17:1-Δ¹², C15:1-Δ⁸, C13:0, C17:2, C17:1-Δ¹⁰, and C15:0-for the first time using HPLC. This was followed by the identification of their chemical structures using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ultraviolet (UV), gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS), carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR), and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) analysis. The results showed that two ginkgol isomers, C17:1-Δ¹² and C17:1-Δ¹⁰, were obtained simultaneously from the ginkgol C17:1 mixture and identified entirely for the first time. That aside, the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay showed that the six ginkgol homologs possessed significant antiproliferation effects against HGC and HepG2 cells. Furthermore, the ginkgols with unsaturated side chains (C17:2, C15:1-Δ⁸, C17:1-Δ¹², and C17:1-Δ¹⁰) exhibited more potent inhibitory effects than ginkgols with saturated side chains (C13:0, C15:0). In addition, unsaturated ginkgol C15:1-Δ⁸ showed the most potent cytotoxicity on HepG2 and HGC cells, of which the half-maximal inhibition concentrations (IC₅₀) were 18.84 ± 2.58 and 13.15 ± 2.91 μM, respectively. The IC₅₀ for HepG2 and HGC cells for the three unsaturated ginkgols (C17:1-Δ¹⁰, C17:2 and C17:1-Δ¹²) were ~59.97, ~60.82, and ~68.97 μM for HepG2 and ~30.97, ~33.81, and ~34.55 μM for HGC cells, respectively. Comparing the ginkgols' structure-activity relations, the findings revealed that the position and number of the double bonds of the ginkgols with 17 side chain carbons in length had no significant difference in anticancer activity.

Uncovering the pharmacology of Ginkgo biloba folium in the cell-type-specific targets of Parkinson's disease

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease with a fast-growing prevalence. Developing disease-modifying therapies for PD remains an enormous challenge. Current drug treatment will lose efficacy and bring about severe side effects as the disease progresses. Extracts from Ginkgo biloba folium (GBE) have been shown neuroprotective in PD models. However, the complex GBE extracts intertwingled with complicated PD targets hinder further drug development. In this study, we have pioneered using single-nuclei RNA sequencing data in network pharmacology analysis. Furthermore, high-throughput screening for potent drug-target interaction (DTI) was conducted with a deep learning algorithm, DeepPurpose. The strongest DTIs between ginkgolides and MAPK14 were further validated by molecular docking. This work should help advance the network pharmacology analysis procedure to tackle the limitation of conventional research. Meanwhile, these results should contribute to a better understanding of the complicated mechanisms of GBE in treating PD and lay the theoretical ground for future drug development in PD.

Potentialities of Ginkgo extract on toxicants, toxins, and radiation: a critical review

Exposure to toxins is a severe threat to human health and life in today's developing and industrialized world. Therefore, identifying a protective chemical could be valuable and fascinating in this case. The purpose of this article was to bring together thorough review of studies on Ginkgo biloba to aid in the creation of ways for delivering its phytoconstituents to treat toxicants and radiation. This review gathered and evaluated studies on the defensive impact of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) against toxicities caused by toxic chemical agents (such as lead, cadmium, and aluminum), natural toxins (for example, lipopolysaccharide-induced toxicity and damage, gossypol, latadenes, and lotaustralin), and radiation (for example, gamma, ultra-violet, and radio-frequency radiation). According to this review, GBE has a considerable therapeutic effect by influencing specific pathophysiological targets. Furthermore, GBE has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antigenotoxicity properties against various toxicities. These are due to flavone glycosides (primarily isorhamnetin, kaempferol, and quercetin) and terpene trilactones (ginkgolides A, B, C, and bilobalide) that aid GBEs' neutralizing effect against radiation and toxins by acting independently or synergistically. This will serve as a reference for the functional food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries worldwide.

Biflavonoids: Important Contributions to the Health Benefits of Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)

Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) is one of the most distinctive plants, characterized by excellent resistance to various environmental conditions. It is used as an ornamental plant and is recognized as a medicinal plant in both traditional and Western medicine. Its bioactive potential is associated with the presence of flavonoids and terpene trilactones, but many other compounds may also have synergistic effects. Flavonoid dimers-biflavonoids-are important constituents of ginkgophytopharmaceuticals. Currently, the presence of 13 biflavonoids has been reported in ginkgo, of which amentoflavone, bilobetin, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin and isoginkgetin are the most common. Their role in plants remains unknown, but their bioactivity and potential role in the management of human health are better investigated. In this review, we have provided an overview of the chemistry, diversity and biological factors that influence the presence of biflavonoids in ginkgo, as well as their bioactive and health-related properties. We have focused on their antioxidant, anticancer, antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory activities as well as their potential role in the treatment of cardiovascular, metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. We also highlighted their potential toxicity and pointed out further research directions.

A critical review of Ginkgolic acid in Ginkgo biloba leaves extract (EGb). Toxicity, technologies to remove the ginkgolic acids and its promising bioactivities

Ginkgo biloba leaves extract (EGb) is high in bioactive components (over 170), which are used in food additives, medicine, cosmetics, health products, and other sectors. Nonetheless, ginkgolic acids (GAs) in...