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. 2006 Jun 28;12(24):3924-8.
doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i24.3924.

Effects of extract from Ginkgo biloba on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats

Shui-Xiang He  1 , Jin-Yan Luo, Yue-Peng Wang, Yan-Li Wang, Han Fu, Jun-Li Xu, Gang Zhao, En-Qi Liu
Affiliations

Effects of extract from Ginkgo biloba on carbon tetrachloride-induced liver injury in rats

Shui-Xiang He et al. World J Gastroenterol. .

Abstract

Aim: To study the effects of extract from Ginkgo biloba (EGb) containing 22% flavonoid and 5% terpenoid on chronic liver injury and liver fibrosis of rats induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)).

Methods: All rats were randomly divided into control group, CCl(4)-treated group, colchicine-treated group and EGb-protected group. Chronic liver injury was induced in experimental groups by subcutaneous injection of CCl(4) and fed with chows premixed with 79.5% corn powder, 20% lard and 0.5% cholesterol (v/v). EGb-protected group was treated with EGb (0.5 g/kg body weight per day) for 7 wk. At the end of wk 8, all the rats were killed. Liver function, liver fibrosis, oxidative stress and expression of transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1), a-smooth muscle actin (alpha-SMA) and type I collagens in liver were determined. In addition, pathology changes of liver tissue were observed under light microscope.

Results: The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and albumin (Alb) in EGb-protected group were notably improved as compared with the CCl(4)-treated group (P < 0.01). The contents of serum hyaluronic acid (HA), type III procollagen (PCIII), type IV collagen (CIV) and the expression of hepatic tissue TGF-beta1, alpha-SMA and type I collagen in EGb-protected group were significantly lower than those in CCl(4)-treated groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The degrees of liver fibrosis in EGb-protected groups were lower than those in CCl(4)-treated groups (6.58 +/- 1.25 vs 9.52 +/- 2.06, P < 0.05). Compared to the CCl(4)-treated group, the levels of plasma glutathoine peroxidase (Se-GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were strikingly improved also in EGb-protected group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01).

Conclusion: EGb resists oxidative stress and thereby reduces chronic liver injury and liver fibrosis in rats with liver injury induced by CCl(4).

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Effects of EGb on histology of CCL4-induced fibrotic rat liver. Masson trichome staining, scale bar = 40 μm, original magnification × 100. A: Normal rat liver; B: Fibrosis in CCL4-treated group; C: Fibrosis in EGb-protected group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of EGb on type I collagen expression in CCl4-induced fibrotic rat liver. Immunohistochemistry staining, scale bar = 40 μm, original magnification × 100. A: Normal rat liver; B: Strong expression of type I collagen in CCL4-treated group; C: Expression of type I collagen in EGb-protected group.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Percentage areas (%) of type I collagen, α-SMA, and TGF-β1 in rat liver.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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