X-Message-Number: 12399
Date: Sat, 11 Sep 1999 10:02:28 -0700 (PDT)
From: Doug Skrecky <>
Subject: bilobalide may be the main active ingrediant in ginkgo

Authors
  Klein J.  Chatterjee SS.  Loffelholz K.
Institution
  Department of Pharmacology, University of Mainz, Germany.
Title
  Phospholipid breakdown and
  choline release under hypoxic conditions: inhibition by
  bilobalide, a constituent of Ginkgo biloba.
Source
  Brain Research.  755(2):347-50, 1997 May 2.
Abstract
  A marked increase of choline release from rat hippocampal
  slices was observed when the slices were superfused with oxygen-free buffer,
  indicating hypoxia-induced hydrolysis of choline-containing
  phospholipids. This increase of choline
  release was suppressed by bilobalide, an ingredient of Ginkgo biloba, but not
  by a mixture of ginkgolides. The EC50 value for bilobalide was 0.38 microM.
  In ex vivo experiments, bilobalide also inhibited hypoxia-induced
  choline release when given p.o. in doses of 2-20 mg/kg 1 h
  prior to slice preparation. The half-maximum effect was observed with 6 mg/kg
  bilobalide. A similar effect was noted after p.o. administration of 200 mg/kg
  EGb 761, a ginkgo extract containing approximately 3% of bilobalide. We
  conclude that ginkgo extracts can suppress hypoxia-induced membrane
  breakdown in the brain, and that bilobalide is the active
  constituent for this effect.

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