Ginkgo May Impact Alzheimer’s Development

BALTIMORE—Standardized Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 may suppress amyloid-ß (Aß) pathological behaviors and protect against toxicity, preventing synaptic loss and neural degeneration seen in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In a study coordinated at the University of Maryland, researchers used EGb 761 and its constituents to associate Aß species with Aß-induced behaviors in a worm species. EGb 761 and ginkgolide A alleviated Aß-induced pathological behaviors, including paralysis, and reduced chemotaxis behavior; it also inhibited Aß oligomerization and deposits. The researchers also compared the activity of EGb 761 to L-ascorbic acid, and found both worked as antioxidants in reducing intracellular levels of hydrogen peroxide, but L-ascorbic acid was not as effective in suppressing paralysis, suggesting ginkgo’s benefits go beyond reducing oxidative stress.

The study was published in the Journal of Neuroscience (26, 50:13102-13, 2006) (DOI:10.1523/jneurosci.3448-06.2006).

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