[Protective effects of ginkgo leaf extracts on neurons in spinal cord after ischemia-reperfusion injury in rabbits].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the protective effects of ginkgo leaf extracts on spinal cord after ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in rabbits and to find out its possible mechanism.

METHODS: Twenty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups, which were sham-operation group, untreated group and ginkgo leaf extracts-treated group. The locomotor scores of hindlimbs in rabbits after 24 and 48 h of reperfusion were evaluated, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in ischemia spinal cord were examined. The apoptotic index (AI) of neurons in spinal cord was detected by terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) method. The expressions of Bcl-2 and Bax proteins were examined by streptavidin-biotin peroxidase method.

RESULTS: The locomotor scores of hindlimbs in rabbits after 24 and 48 h of reperfusion in the ginkgo leaf extracts-treated group were obviously elevated as compared with those in the untreated group (P<0.05). The activity of SOD was higher and the level of MDA was lower in ischemia spinal cord in the ginkgo leaf extracts-treated group than those in the untreated group (P<0.01). The decreased neuron AI and the expressions of up-regulated Bcl-2 protein and down-regulated Bax protein were also observed in the ginkgo leaf extracts-treated group.

CONCLUSION: The protective effects of the ginkgo leaf extracts against spinal cord injury induced by IR may be related to scavenging oxygen free radicals, reducing lipid peroxidation injury and inhibiting apoptosis.