Ginkgo biloba, a free oxygen radical scavenger, affects inflammatory mediators to diminish the occurrence of experimental myringosclerosis.

Abstract

CONCLUSION:

Systemic Ginkgo biloba extract treatment reduces the levels of nitrite/nitrate, malondialdehyde, and superoxide dismutase and increases the levels of glutathione peroxidase. By scavenging free oxygen radicals, ginkgo extract prevents the formation of myringosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE:

Our objective was to evaluate inflammatory mediators to determine the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effect of Ginkgo biloba extract to diminish myringosclerosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Thirty Wistar Albino rats, weighing 320-400 g were used. The upper posterior quadrants of both tympanic membranes were myringotomized and divided into four groups. Ginkgo biloba extract was given orally to groups 1 and 2 comprising eight rats with doses of 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively. Seven rats in group 3 received 1.5 ml/day saline and seven rats were left untreated. After 10 days of treatment, otomicroscopic evaluation of tympanic membranes and measurement of anti-inflammatory mediators such as superoxide dismutase, nitrite/nitrate, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde were performed.

RESULTS:

Myringosclerosis was significantly more severe in control and saline groups than in Ginkgo biloba groups. The levels of nitrite in ginkgo-treated groups were significantly lower than in untreated and saline-treated groups, while glutathione peroxidase levels were significantly higher. The levels of malondialdehyde and superoxide dismutase were lower in ginkgo groups but not significantly.

• Authors: Zeynep Kizilkaya Kaptan, Hatice Emir, Hakan Gocmen, Hakki Uzunkulaoglu, Alparslan Karakas, Mehmet Senes, Erdal Samim
• Journal: Acta oto-laryngologica (Acta Otolaryngol) Vol. 129 Issue 8 Pg. 826-31 (Aug 2009) ISSN: 1651-2251 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 18932046 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antioxidants
• Free Radical Scavengers
• Inflammation Mediators
• Plant Extracts

Topics

• Animals
• Antioxidants (therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Ear Diseases (prevention & control)
• Free Radical Scavengers (therapeutic use)
• Ginkgo biloba
• Inflammation Mediators (metabolism)
• Male
• Phytotherapy
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• Rats
• Rats, Wistar
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome