0000000000628236
AUTHOR
Jean R. Rapin
Effects of repeated treatments with an extract ofGinkgo biloba (EGb 761) and bilobalide on liver and muscle glycogen contents in the non-insulin-dependent diabetic rat
The effects of repeated (15-day) oral treatments with an extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761; 50 mg/kg/day) or with its terpenoid constituent, bilobalide (2 mg/kg/day), were assessed in normal rats and in rats that had been previously injected with streptozotocin (50 mg/kg, i.p. in saline solution), a dose which provided a model of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). In this model of diabetes, blood glucose is significantly increased while the circulating insulin level remains unchanged. Glucose penetrates cells because of decreased glycogen turnover, a metabolic abnormality that can be revealed by using an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In control rats, hyperglycemia was ac…
Effect of the extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) on the circulating and cellular profiles of polyunsaturated fatty acids: correlation with the anti-oxidant properties of the extract
Abstract Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) has beneficial effects on cognitive functions in aging patients, and on various pathologies, including cardiovascular diseases. Although the extract is known to have antioxidant properties and improve membrane fluidity, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects have not been determined. Here, we examined the in vivo effects of EGb 761 on circulating and cellular lipids. EGb 761 treatment induced significant increases in the levels of circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and a decrease in the saturation index SI (saturated/polyunsaturated species). Plasma triglycerides and cholesterol were not affected, while phospholipids were slig…
Possible links between intestinal permeablity and food processing: a potential therapeutic niche for glutamine
Increased intestinal permeability is a likely cause of various pathologies, such as allergies and metabolic or even cardiovascular disturbances. Intestinal permeability is found in many severe clinical situations and in common disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome. In these conditions, substances that are normally unable to cross the epithelial barrier gain access to the systemic circulation. To illustrate the potential harmfulness of leaky gut, we present an argument based on examples linked to protein or lipid glycation induced by modern food processing. Increased intestinal permeability should be largely improved by dietary addition of compounds, such as glutamine or curcumin, which…
Effects of repeated treatments with an extract ofGinkgo biloba (EGb 761) and bilobalide on glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis in rat erythrocytes: An ex vivo study
The metabolic action of an extract of Ginkgo biloba (EGb 761) has been examined in an ex vivo study of rat erythrocytes. Oral administration of EGb 761 (100 mg/kg/day) for 5 days to Wistar rats caused an increase in the in vitro uptake of glucose by erythrocytes, especially in high-glucose (13.32 mM) medium, an effect that was associated with an increase in intracellular energy metabolism and reflected as a significant reduction in free glucose concentration. In contrast, the lactate concentration of the erythrocytes and lactate release to the bathing medium were not modified. Conversion of glucose into glycogen was significantly increased in the erythrocytes of EGb 761-treated animals. Tak…