Protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract in rats with hypoxia/reoxygenation–induced intestinal injury

Abstract Background The purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) in rat pups with hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)–induced bowel injury. Methods One-day-old Wistar albino rat pups (n = 21) were randomly divided into 3 groups: group 1 (control, untreated and not exposed to H/R, n = 7), group 2 (untreated but exposed to H/R, n = 7), and group 3 (EGb 761 + H/R, n = 7). Ginkgo biloba extract was administered (100 mg/kg per day, subcutaneously) to group 3 for 3 days. On the fourth day, all animals except controls were exposed to H/R and were killed 6 hours after H/R. Histopathologic injury scores (HIS), malondialdehyde, glutathione (GSH), GSH-peroxidase (Px) activities, and nitric oxide (NO) levels were measured on intestinal samples. Results Although the control group had normal HIS, group 2 had grade 3 HIS. In contrast, group 3 had minimal HIS, and these results were significantly better than those of group 2 ( P < .001). Malondialdehyde and NO levels of group 3 were significantly lower than those of group 2 ( P < .01). Glutathione and GSH-Px activities of group 1 were higher than those of groups 2 and 3 ( P < .05). However, there were no significant differences for GSH and GSH-Px activities between groups 2 and 3. Conclusions This study showed that hypoxia and NO contributed to the pathogenesis of H/R-induced intestinal injury and that prophylactically administered EGb 761 had a protective effect on bowel injury.