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Müller WE, Eckert A, Eckert GP, Fink H, Friedland K, Gauthier S, Hoerr R, Ihl R, Kasper S, Möller HJ. Therapeutic efficacy of the Ginkgo special extract EGb761 ® within the framework of the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease. World J Biol Psychiatry 2019; 20:173-189. [PMID: 28460580 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2017.1308552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The mitochondrial cascade hypothesis of dementia assumes mitochondrial dysfunction as an important common pathomechanism for the whole spectrum of age-associated memory disorders from cognitive symptoms in the elderly over mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's dementia. Thus, a drug such as the Ginkgo special extract EGb 761® which improves mitochondrial function should be able to ameliorate cognitive deficits over the whole aging spectrum. METHODS We review the most relevant publications about effects of EGb 761® on cognition and synaptic deficits in preclinical studies as well as on cognitive deficits in man from aging to dementia. RESULTS EGb 761® improves mitochondrial dysfunction and cognitive impairment over the whole spectrum of age-associated cognitive disorders in relevant animal models and in vitro experiments, and also shows clinical efficacy in improving cognition over the whole range from aging to Alzheimer's or even vascular dementia. CONCLUSIONS EGb 761® shows clinical efficacy in the treatment of cognitive deficits over the whole spectrum of age-associated memory disorders. Thus, EGb 761® can serve as an important pharmacological argument for the mitochondrial cascade hypothesis of dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter E Müller
- a Department of Pharmacology , Biocenter, Goethe-University , Frankfurt/M , Germany
| | - Anne Eckert
- b Neurobiological laboratory, Department of Psychiatry , Basel , Switzerland
| | - Gunter P Eckert
- c Department of Nutritional Sciences , Justus-Liebig University , Giessen , Germany
| | - Heidrun Fink
- d Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology , Free University , Berlin , Germany
| | - Kristina Friedland
- e Department of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacy , University Erlangen , Erlangen , Germany
| | - Serge Gauthier
- f McGill Center for Studies in Aging , Montreal , Canada
| | - Robert Hoerr
- g Dr.Willmar Schwabe GmbH & Co. KG , Karlsruhe , Germany
| | - Ralf Ihl
- h Alexianer Hospital, Clinic of Geriatric Psychiatry , Krefeld , Germany
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- i Department of Psychiatry , Medical University , Vienna , Austria
| | - Hans-Jürgen Möller
- j Department of Psychiatry , Ludwig-Maximilian University , Munich , Germany
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Wang X, Zhu Y, Ni D, Lv W, Gao Z, Qi F. Intranasal application of glucocorticoid alleviates olfactory dysfunction in mice with allergic rhinitis. Exp Ther Med 2017; 14:3971-3978. [PMID: 29075337 PMCID: PMC5647749 DOI: 10.3892/etm.2017.5042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2015] [Accepted: 03/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of glucocorticoid intervention on olfactory dysfunction in mice with allergic rhinitis (AR). An AR animal model was established by intraperitoneal injection and intranasal application of ovalbumin to mice. The olfactory function of the mice was evaluated using a buried food test, and morphological changes in the nasal mucosa were determined using hematoxylin and eosin staining. The expression of olfactory marker protein (OMP) in the olfactory mucosa was tested by immunohistochemistry, and was observed on days 7 and 14 after the application of glucocorticoid. The incidence rate of olfactory dysfunction in AR mice was 75.34%, and the olfactory epithelium became thinner in mice with AR compared to the control group. In addition, the expression of OMP in the olfactory epithelium was downregulated in mice with AR compared with the control group. Expression of OMP in the olfactory epithelium was upregulated in the budesonide group A and betamethasone group A compared with the medicine-free group, whereas the expression of OMP in the olfactory epithelium of budesonide group A or betamethasone group A was not significantly different from the control group. Moreover, the expression of OMP in the budesonide group B was similar to budesonide group A, and expression of OMP in betamethasone group B was similar to betamethasone group A. The expression of OMP in olfactory mucosa is downregulated in AR mice with olfactory dysfunction. Following the application of glucocorticoid, the expression of OMP in the olfactory mucosa in mice is upregulated. Moreover, intranasal local glucocorticoid has a low incidence of systemic adverse reactions, and is recommended for the treatment of olfactory dysfunction in AR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowei Wang
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Yingying Zhu
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Daofeng Ni
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Wei Lv
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Zhiqiang Gao
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
| | - Fang Qi
- Department of Otolaryngology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, P.R. China
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Abstract
Ginkgo biloba is an herb often used as an alternative treatment to improve cognitive functions. Like most herbal treatments, the use of ginkgo is poorly regulated by government agencies, on the basis of either its efficacy or its health risks. This article reviews the experimental evidence available regarding efficacy, neurobiological actions, and health risks. Findings obtained in studies of humans often include demonstrations of rather mild cognitive enhancement. Interpretation of these findings is complicated by somewhat inconsistent findings, by experimental designs that do not permit identification of cognitive functions susceptible to the influence of ginkgo, and by the paucity of direct comparisons with other treatments. The number of peer-reviewed reports of studies in nonhuman animals is surprisingly small. In this small set, the findings reveal mild behavioral effects that might be attributable to actions on cognitive functions. However, these experiments in rodents, like those in humans, do not involve the use of designs to assess ginkgo's effects on particular cognitive attributes, and generally do not include direct comparisons with other treatments. Interpretation of the findings is further complicated by evidence, obtained in studies of both humans and rats, showing that a single administration of the treatment enhances performance on cognitive measures. If ginkgo has effects on cognition, there should be effects evident on biological processes as well. Neurobiological studies have largely examined the effects of chronic ginkgo administration, mirroring the most common design in behavioral studies. However, the addition of findings that single administration of ginkgo may influence behavior directs biological investigations to short-term actions of the treatment. Biological effects of ginkgo include vasodilation, protection of neurons from oxidative stress, and actions mediated by effects via neurotransmitters. Adverse reactions to ginkgo consumption have been observed but are relatively rare. Collectively, the behavioral literature reviewed cannot be used conclusively to document or to refute the efficacy of ginkgo in improving cognitive functions. At best, the effects seem quite modest. In particular, it is questionable whether effects of ginkgo, if present, are equal to those obtained by administration of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, hearing an arousing story, or ingesting glucose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul E. Gold
- Department of Psychology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, Illinois
| | - Larry Cahill
- Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, University of California, Irvine, California
| | - Gary L. Wenk
- Department of Psychology, Arizona Research Laboratories for Neural Systems, Memory and Aging, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
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Effects of a Proprietary Standardized Orthosiphon stamineus Ethanolic Leaf Extract on Enhancing Memory in Sprague Dawley Rats Possibly via Blockade of Adenosine A 2A Receptors. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2015; 2015:375837. [PMID: 26649059 PMCID: PMC4655036 DOI: 10.1155/2015/375837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2015] [Revised: 09/26/2015] [Accepted: 09/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to explore a propriety standardized ethanolic extract from leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus Benth in improving impairments in short-term social memory in vivo, possibly via blockade of adenosine A2A receptors (A2AR). The ethanolic extract of O. stamineus leaves showed significant in vitro binding activity of A2AR with 74% inhibition at 150 μg/ml and significant A2AR antagonist activity with 98% inhibition at 300 μg/mL. A significant adenosine A1 receptor (A1R) antagonist activity with 100% inhibition was observed at 300 μg/mL. Its effect on learning and memory was assessed via social recognition task using Sprague Dawley rats whereby the ethanolic extract of O. stamineus showed significant (p < 0.001) change in recognition index (RI) at 300 mg/kg and 600 mg/kg p.o and 120 mg/kg i.p., respectively, compared to the vehicle control. In comparison, the ethanolic extract of Polygonum minus aerial parts showed small change in inflexion; however, it remained insignificant in RI at 200 mg/kg p.o. Our findings suggest that the ethanolic extract of O. stamineus leaves improves memory by reversing age-related deficits in short-term social memory and the possible involvement of adenosine A1 and adenosine A2A as a target bioactivity site in the restoration of memory.
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Mallet PE, Moore CA, Collie MT, Satvat E. Regional distribution of Ginkgo biloba-induced c-Fos immunoreactivity. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2009; 16:361-368. [PMID: 18757190 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2008.07.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2008] [Revised: 06/25/2008] [Accepted: 07/07/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
A growing literature supports the notion that Ginkgo biloba has cognitive enhancing and anxiolytic properties; however, its effects on neuronal populations have yet to be characterized. The present study used c-Fos immunoreactivity (Fos-IR) to characterize functional activity in selected brain regions following administration of a standardized Ginkgo biloba extract. Because Ginkgo is typically consumed orally, Exp 1 sought to identify patterns of neural activity induced by oral administration. To ensure that the alterations in functional neural activity observed in Exp 1 were not simply due to novel gustatory experience, Exp 2 characterized patterns of Fos-IR following intraperitoneal administration of Ginkgo. Rats were habituated to handling and experimental conditions. In Exp 1, rats self-administered 150 mg/kg Ginkgo or vehicle alone (strawberry jam) orally. In Exp 2, rats were injected with Ginkgo (2.5 or 25 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle (0.3% gum Arabic). Animals were anaesthetized and perfused transcardially. Brains were sectioned, immunostained using a c-Fos antibody, then the number of labelled cells was quantified microscopically in selected brain regions. In both experiments Ginkgo increased Fos-IR in numerous brain regions including the insular cortex and amygdala. Intraperitoneal administration induced Fos-IR in some additional regions including the nucleus accumbens and dentate gyrus. Results provide important preliminary data serving to identify several candidate neural sites involved in the cognitive enhancing and anxiolytic effects of Ginkgo biloba.
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Affiliation(s)
- P E Mallet
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5.
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Satvat E, Mallet PE. Chronic administration of a Ginkgo biloba leaf extract facilitates acquisition but not performance of a working memory task. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2009; 202:173-85. [PMID: 18594796 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-008-1223-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2008] [Accepted: 06/03/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Ginkgo biloba leaf extracts have been shown to improve learning and memory when administered chronically prior to the learning phase. However, the influence of Ginkgo on learning without prior chronic treatment and on memory per se (i.e., post-training administration) is less clear. Thus, experiment 1 investigated the influence of Ginkgo on acquisition, and experiment 2 examined the acute and chronic effects of Ginkgo on memory in rats using a food-reinforced two-component double Y-maze task. MATERIALS AND METHODS In experiment 1, 17 rats were treated daily with a standardized G. biloba extract (13.75 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle 30 min prior to daily maze training for 14 days. In experiment 2, 12 rats received 24 training trials daily, then received Ginkgo (0, 0.25, 2.5, 13.75, or 25 mg/kg, i.p.) 30 min prior to each test session. Subsequently, the same rats received daily injections of either Ginkgo (13.75 mg/kg, i.p.) or its vehicle. Memory was tested after 10 and 20 days of drug treatment, once under the influence of the drug and once in a drug-free state. RESULTS In experiment 1, Ginkgo-treated rats reached the training criteria significantly faster and made fewer errors. In experiment 2, post-training Ginkgo administration did not enhance memory. DISCUSSION Taken together, results demonstrate that repeated daily pre-session Ginkgo injection subtly facilitates acquisition of a spatial working memory task, but neither acute nor chronic post-training exposure enhances spatial working memory. We conclude that ongoing Ginkgo administration does not offer any continued beneficial effects in an already-learned working memory task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elham Satvat
- Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Ave West, Waterloo, ON N2L3C5, Canada
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Lee GS, Cho JH, Park CS, Jung SH, Lee DH, Jun BC, Song CE, Cho KJ. The effect of Ginkgo biloba on the expression of intermediate-early antigen (c-fos) in the experimentally induced anosmic mouse. Auris Nasus Larynx 2008; 36:287-91. [PMID: 19010624 DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2008.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2007] [Revised: 07/17/2008] [Accepted: 08/11/2008] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Treatment of olfactory dysfunction is very difficult and has limited modality. Treatment with steroids has been used in patients with olfactory dysfunction but the side effects of steroid need to be weighed against its potential benefits. In the present study, the effect of systemic administration of dexamethasone and EGb 761 on damage to olfactory mucosa produced by zinc sulfate was examined. Expression of the immediate-early antigen (IEG), c-fos, in the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex was used to determine the effects of treatment. METHODS Young adult CD1 mice (6 to 8 weeks old, male) were used. After anosmic mice were made by bilateral intranasal irrigation with 0.2 ml of 5% (0.17 M) zinc sulfate, anosmia was confirmed by a food finding test. Four groups of anosmic mice were studied: a steroid group (steroid injection group, n=12), an EGb group (EGb injection group, n=12), a steroid-EGb group (steroid and EGb injection group, n=12), and a control group (anosmic mice and no Tx. n=12). The olfactory bulb and piriform cortex of four mice in each group were obtained at 1, 2, and 3 weeks after instillation of zinc sulfate by cardiac perfusion, and immunohistochemical staining for c-fos was also performed to evaluate brain activity. In approximately 10 well-defined glomeruli of the olfactory bulb and in one side of the piriform cortex, c-fos (+) cells were counted. Statistical analyses were performed by Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) by rank. RESULTS In all experimental groups, c-fos (+) cells increased in a time-dependent manner. The combination treatment of steroid and EGb was the most effective and the no-treatment group the least effective 1 week later after zinc sulfate irrigation. However, 3 weeks later after zinc sulfate irrigation, there was no statistically significant differences in the number of c-fos positive cells among all 4 groups (3 treatment groups and the control group). CONCLUSION The combination treatment of EGb and steroid enhanced the regeneration of the olfactory pathway after olfactory mucosal injury by zinc sulfate. Our study suggests that EGb could be an effective treatment option for olfactory dysfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geun-Suk Lee
- Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck surgery, College of Medicine, Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Zhang M, Cai J. Extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves reverses yohimbine-induced spatial working memory deficit in rats. Behav Pharmacol 2006; 16:651-6. [PMID: 16286817 DOI: 10.1097/00008877-200512000-00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Extract of Ginkgo biloba is used to alleviate age-related decline in cognitive function, which may be associated with the loss of catecholamines in the prefrontal cortex. The purpose of this study was to verify whether alpha-2 adrenergic activity is involved in the facilitative effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba on prefrontal cognitive function. Male Wistar rats were trained to reach criterion in the delayed alternation task (0, 25, and 50-s delay intervals). A pilot study found that 3 or 4 mg/kg of yohimbine (intraperitoneal) reduced the choice accuracy of the delayed alternation task in a dose and delay-dependent manner, without influencing motor ability or perseverative behaviour. Acute oral pre-treatment with doses of 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg (but not 25 mg/kg) of extract of Ginkgo biloba prevented the reduction in choice accuracy induced by 4 mg/kg yohimbine. These data suggest that the prefrontal cognition-enhancing effects of extract of Ginkgo biloba are related to its actions on alpha-2-adrenoceptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Zhang
- Kunming Institute of Zoology bGraduate School Chinese Academy of Sciences, China
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Burns NR, Bryan J, Nettelbeck T. Ginkgo biloba: no robust effect on cognitive abilities or mood in healthy young or older adults. Hum Psychopharmacol 2006; 21:27-37. [PMID: 16329161 DOI: 10.1002/hup.739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Ginkgo biloba extracts are commonly used to prevent or treat memory problems but evidence on the efficacy of ginkgo is equivocal. In any case, the psychological locus of ginkgo's effects is unknown. A 12-week, double-blind, placebo-controlled study assessed effects of ginkgo (120 mg per day) on a wide range of cognitive abilities, executive function, attention and mood in 93 healthy older adults (55-79 years) and in 104 young adults (18-43 years). For the older adult sample, longer-term memory assessed by associational learning tasks showed improvement with ginkgo (d = 0.52, p = 0.04). There was no statistically significant difference on any other measure. For the young adult group no measure showed statistically significant effects of ginkgo enhancement. There were no side effects unequivocally attributable to treatment with ginkgo and those reported by participants in the ginkgo groups were mild and similar to those reported elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas R Burns
- Department of Psychology, University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5005.
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Stackman RW, Eckenstein F, Frei B, Kulhanek D, Nowlin J, Quinn JF. Prevention of age-related spatial memory deficits in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease by chronic Ginkgo biloba treatment. Exp Neurol 2003; 184:510-20. [PMID: 14637120 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-4886(03)00399-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by cognitive decline and deposition of beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques in cortex and hippocampus. A transgenic mouse AD model (Tg2576) that overexpresses a mutant form of human Abeta precursor protein exhibits age-related cognitive deficits, Abeta plaque deposition, and oxidative damage in the brain. We tested the ability of Ginkgo biloba, a flavonoid-rich antioxidant, to antagonize the age-related behavioral impairment and neuropathology exhibited by Tg2576 mice. At 8 months of age, 16 female Tg2576 and 15 female wild-type (wt) littermate mice were given ad lib access to tap water or Ginkgo biloba (70 mg/kg/day in water). After 6 months of treatment, all mice received Morris water maze training (4 trials/day for 10 days) to assess hippocampal dependent spatial learning. All mice received a 60-s probe test of spatial memory retention 24 h after the 40th trial. Untreated Tg2576 mice exhibited a spatial learning impairment, relative to wt mice, while Ginkgo biloba-treated Tg2576 mice exhibited spatial memory retention comparable to wt during the probe test. Spatial learning was not different between Ginkgo biloba-treated and untreated wt mice. There were no group differences in learning to swim to a visible platform. Soluble Abeta and hippocampal Abeta plaque burden did not differ between the Tg2576 groups. Brain levels of protein carbonyls were paradoxically elevated in Ginkgo biloba-treated mice. These data indicate that chronic Ginkgo biloba treatment can block an age-dependent decline in spatial cognition without altering Abeta levels and without suppressing protein oxidation in a transgenic mouse model of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Stackman
- Department of Behavioral Neuroscience, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA.
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Tang F, Nag S, Shiu SYW, Pang SF. The effects of melatonin and Ginkgo biloba extract on memory loss and choline acetyltransferase activities in the brain of rats infused intracerebroventricularly with beta-amyloid 1-40. Life Sci 2002; 71:2625-31. [PMID: 12354581 DOI: 10.1016/s0024-3205(02)02105-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Intraventricular infusion of rats with beta-amyloid for 14 days resulted in memory deficit in the water maze as well as decreases in choline acetyltransferase activities and somatostatin levels in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These changes were not altered by daily intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/Kg melatonin. Orally administered Ginkgo biloba extract, however, partially reversed the memory deficit and the decrease in choline actyltransferase activities in the hippocampus. The latter treatment failed to reverse the decrease in somatostatin levels. The results indicate that orally administered Ginkgo biloba extract can protect the brain against beta-amyloid from changes leading to memory deficit through its effect on the cholinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Tang
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, China.
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Ward CP, Redd K, Williams BM, Caler JR, Luo Y, McCoy JG. Ginkgo biloba extract: cognitive enhancer or antistress buffer. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2002; 72:913-22. [PMID: 12062581 DOI: 10.1016/s0091-3057(02)00768-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Constituents extracted from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree possess beneficial properties that may buffer the aging nervous system from deterioration due to oxidative stress. In the present investigation, a standardized extract of G. biloba (EGb 761) or an equal volume of the vehicle was administered (100 mg/kg/day) to senescent (20-month) C57BL/6 male mice for up to 82 consecutive days. Animals were tested twice in the Morris water maze (MWM) after 28 and 70 days of treatment. No differences were observed in acquisition or retention of performance on the water maze. Elevated-plus maze (EPM) trials were conducted prior to and subsequent to the chronic treatment regimen. Marked baseline differences in plus-maze performance were present in the first experiment. A second experiment used a matched-pairs design to minimize preexisting differences. Results supported the hypothesis that EGb 761 may serve as an antistress buffer, attenuating the increase in anxiety typically observed in animals after cold water exposure. Tissue samples from the hippocampus and cortex were analyzed by Western blot for the transcription factor cyclic-AMP response element binding (CREB) protein. EGb 761 had no significant effect on immunoreactivity to CREB from either the hippocampus or the cerebral cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P Ward
- Department of Psychology, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS 39406, USA
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Topic B, Tani E, Tsiakitzis K, Kourounakis PN, Dere E, Hasenöhrl RU, Häcker R, Mattern CM, Huston JP. Enhanced maze performance and reduced oxidative stress by combined extracts of zingiber officinale and ginkgo biloba in the aged rat. Neurobiol Aging 2002; 23:135-43. [PMID: 11755028 DOI: 10.1016/s0197-4580(01)00241-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Here we assessed the effects of i.g. administration of Zingicomb (ZC), a mixture of zingiber officinale and ginkgo biloba extracts, on learning and memory, and on indicators of oxidative stress in aged rats. Effects of ZC (1 and 10 mg/kg) were investigated in 22-24 months old Wistar rats using the Morris water maze, in which they show deficient performance as compared to 3 months old rats in the undrugged state (days 1 and 2). Treatment was administered on days 3 and 4 of training, then over 7 days with training discontinued, and again on days 5 and 6 when training was resumed. Thereafter chronic treatment was maintained over 5 months. 1 mg/kg ZC improved escape learning in the water maze. The two capital indicators of oxidative stress in brain homogenates, the amount of oxidized proteins (assessed as carbonyl group containing proteins) and lipid peroxidation, were significantly reduced in ZC treated animals. Thus, ZC, which had previously been shown to improve inhibitory avoidance learning and to have anxiolytic properties in adult animals, might also facilitate spatial learning in aged animals, and reduces indices of oxidative stress in brain tissue after chronic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Topic
- Institute of Physiological Psychology, Heinrich-Heine-University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, D-40225, Düsseldorf, Germany.
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