In Vitro Effects of Ginkgolide B on Lymphocyte Activation in Atopic Asthma. Comparison With Cyclosporin A.

Abstract

The effects of Ginkgolide B (BN52021) on in vitro activation responses of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from asthmatic patients was measured using 2-channel flow cytometric analysis of activation-associated cell surface antigens or ELISA assays for cytokines known to be expressed by PBMC during T1 or T2 immunological activation. BN52021 is an anti-inflammatory extract of Ginkgo biloba and has been used therapeutically. It is a known inhibitor of platelet activating factor (PAF), which is important in the pathogenesis of asthma, and may synergise with cyclosporin A (CyA) to inhibit pathogenic immune activation in asthmatics. We compared the inhibitory effects of BN52021 and CyA (1 microM each) on activation of PBMC of asthmatic patients stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate and calcium ionophore. Inhibition of production of the cytokines IL-4 and IL-5 by BN52021 was insignificant compared to CyA. However, BN52021 significantly reversed the increase in activation-associated CD45RA expression, with a trend towards decreased expression of HLA-DR. Lymphocyte activation markers were not significantly altered by CyA. Since they appear to have differing effects on activated cells, the anti-inflammatory effects of CyA and BN52021 in atopic asthma is potentially additive. The present approach may be useful for preliminary evaluation of novel therapeutic modalities for asthma treatment.

Ginkgolide B Exerts Cardioprotective Properties against Doxorubicin-Induced Cardiotoxicity by Regulating Reactive Oxygen Species, Akt and Calcium Signaling Pathways In Vitro and In Vivo

“…Biloba leaves. Previous studies have suggested that GB could exert an antagonistic activity against the platelet activating factor (PAF) to subsequently inhibit PAF-induced cascade effect in inflammatory reactions [36–38]. Most recently, researchers have discovered that GB exerts modulatory or protective functions by reducing oxidative stress and Aβ-induced dysfunction of mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation of the neuronal cells and maintaining cellular energy demands [39].…”

Efficacy ofGinkgo bilobaon Vaginal Estrous and Ovarian Histological Alterations for Evaluating Anti‐Implantation and Abortifacient Potentials in Albino Female Mice

“…Available literature sources state that EGb 761 acts in four different ways: as an antioxidant, free radical scavenger, and lipid peroxidation suppresser by reducing capacities on intracellular redox status (Wang et al, ; Lu et al, ); as an anti‐inflammatory by blocking cytokines from activated peripheral blood T cells (Cheng et al, ); as an anti‐ischemic improves cerebral blood flow (Mashayekh et al, ; Stefanie et al, ); as an antiasthmatic (Mahmoud et al, ); as an anticancer (DeFeudis, ); as an antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Chao and Chu, ); as an anticlastogenic effects (Dardano et al, ); as a cancer chemopreventive (Tesch, ); as an antiangiogenesis (Ahlemeyer and Krieglstein, ); as an apoptotic promoter of cancer cells by caspase‐3 activation (Kim et al, ); and as an antiplatelet activating factor (PAF) functions have also been described (Shi‐Hai and Dian‐Chun, ).…”

In Vitro Effects of Astaxanthin Combined With Ginkgolide B on T Lymphocyte Activation in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells From Asthmatic Subjects

“…Our preliminary studies suggested that extracts of Ginkgo biloba offer substantial promise to mediate minimally toxic suppression of the fundamental processes underlying immune activation and inflammation when used in combination with other drugs (8). Subsequent studies of asthma in our laboratory revealed that ginkgolide B (GB), a terpene lactone component of Ginkgo biloba with antioxidant and plateletactivating factor (PAF)-inhibitory properties, affected in vitro activation of T lymphocytes from asthma patients by a pathway distinct from the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A (9). We further observed that suppression of asthmatic T cell activation mediated by cyclosporin A is substantially augmented by co-administration of GB (10).…”