Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on gastric mucosa

AIM: To study the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (GbE) on gast ric mucosa. METHODS: By means of restraint-cold stress (RCS) in rats and 10 0 % ethanol gavage in mice, the index of gastric mucosal injury was evaluat ed. The gastric juice was collected using pyloric ligation, and the volume and acidity of juice, and activity of pepsin were determined. The content o f malondialdehyde (MDA) was measured by thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method. R ESULTS: GbE (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, bid x 5 d, ig) inhibited dose-dependent ly the gastric mucosal injury induced by RCS and 100 % ethanol gavage. The index of gastric mucosal injury after RCS in groups pretreated with GbE was 58 %, 43 %, and 31 % of control group respectively. The index of gastric m ucosal injury induced by ethanol in groups pretreated with GbE was 62 %, 36 %, and 26 % of the control group, respectively. And GbE enhanced the prote ctive effects of cimetidine (Cim) on gastric mucosa. But it did not obvious ly influence the volume and acidity of gastric juice as well as the activit y of pepsin. One hour after the administration of ig 100 % ethanol, the con tents of MDA in gastric mucosa and serum in mice increased (P < 0.01) vs th e control group. But pretreatment with GbE (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg, ig) coul d inhibit this increase of MDA both in gastric mucosa and in serum. CONCLUS ION: GbE had protective effects on gastric mucosa and GbE plus Cim possesse d the synergism in the treatment of acute gastric mucosal lesions.