| SHORT COMMUNICATION |
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| Year : 2012 | Volume
: 44
| Issue : 1 | Page : 118-121 |
In vivo effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on interleukin-6 cytokine levels in patients with neurological disorders
Lu Ching-Hsiang1, Hwang Chiao-Wen2, Chen Nan-Fu1, Liu Wen-Sheng3, Hsiao Ya-Fen3, Wu Wen-Tung4
1 Department of Professional Medicine, Kaohsiung Armed Forces General Hospital, Neurosurgery Division, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
2 Department of Professional Medicine, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, VAC, EY Rehabilitation Division, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
3 Asia-Pacific Biotech Developing, Inc., Kaohsiung, Taiwan
4 Department of Biotechnology, Yung-Ta Institute of Technology and Commerce, Pingtung, Taiwan
Correspondence Address:
Wu Wen-Tung
Department of Biotechnology, Yung-Ta Institute of Technology and Commerce, Pingtung
Taiwan
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.91881
Objective: To evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGB) on the serum levels of cytokines in patients suffering from chronic, age-related neurological disorders (NDs).
Materials and Methods: Patients received 9.6 mg of EGB twice daily for 8 weeks. Serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment.
Results: The serum level of IL-6 was significantly higher in ND patients as compared to the healthy controls. After these patients underwent 4 and 8 weeks of EGB treatment, their IL-6 levels were shown a statistically significant (P<0.05) decline to near normal values. No significant changes were observed in serum levels of IL-1β and TNF-α after EGB treatment. We also observed an inverse relationship between ND and serum cholesterol levels.
Conclusions: EGB may exert its beneficial effects in patients suffering from NDs through down-regulation and suppression of IL-6 secretion.
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