Ginkgo biloba extract attenuates hippocampal neuronal loss and cognitive dysfunction resulting from trimethyltin in mice.

The present study was an attempt to investigate the neuromodulatory potential of Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) against hippocamapal structural and functional damages induced by trimethyltin (TMT) a potent neurotoxicant. Male Balb/C mice were administered with Ginkgo biloba extract for 14 days at a dose of 70 mg/kg body weight interperitoneally and on 11-day of treatment animals were exposed to Trimethyltin (2.5 mg/kg b.w) single intraperitoneal injection. The co-administered of TMT with GBE showed marked improvement in memory and aggressive behavior. Which were in turn reflected in the levels of serotonin and acetylcholine esterase. The conjunctive treatment also showed significant decrease in oxidative stress as assessed by MDA levels and the antioxidant enzymes (GSH, GSSH, GPX, total glutathione, Catalase and Superoxide dismutase) which were depressed by TMT treatment was significantly improved by GBE. Correspondingly, induction of Bcl-2 mitochondrial apoptotic pathway by trimethyltin was down regulated by Ginkgo biloba treatment. The structural analysis of dentate gyrus revealed improvement in degenerating neurons by treatment with GBE. Therefore, it is suggested that prophylactic treatment of Ginkgo biloba extract protects against the trimethyltin induced neurodegenration by multiple mechanism involved in its antioxidant effects and may be useful in developing therapies against neurodegenration.