IN-VITRO ANTIOXIDANT EFFECT OF GINKGO-BILOBA EXTRACT (EGB-761) ON LIPOPEROXIDATION INDUCED BY HYDROGEN-PEROXIDE IN ERYTHROCYTES OF BEHCET PATIENTS

Excessive superoxide radical production and an impaired antioxidant me chanism in both the neutrophils and plasma of patients with Behcet's d isease (BD) have been reported. To provide clinical support for the ea rlier data, erythrocyte membrane integrity was investigated by measuri ng malondialdehyde (MDA, a marker of lipid peroxidation) levels in the erythrocytes of BD patients. In addition, the antioxidant effect of G inkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) at 25 and 250 mu g/ml concentrations on lipoperoxidation induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in erythrocyte o btained from BD patients was examined in in vitro conditions. When com pared to healthy controls, basal erythrocyte MDA levels were found to be higher in BD patients. In the in vitro study, there was also a sign ificant increase in H2O2-induced MDA production in the medium containi ng no EGb 761 in the patient group, whereas significant decreases in M DA levels were observed in the mediums containing EGb 761 both in the patient and control groups. The decrease in MDA production was found t o be related to EGb 761 concentration. These data indicate that an oxi dative damage is present in erythrocytes obtained from Behcet's patien ts, and EGb 761, which may strengthen the antioxidant defense system, may contribute to the treatment of BD.