Evaluation of Ginkgo biloba as Alternative Medicine on Ova-Induced Eotaxin and Eosinophilia in Asthmatic Lung

Ginkgo biloba is an ancient plant; leaves of this plant have been used in asthma and bronchitis for many centuries. A model of lung eosinophilia based on the repeated exposure of mice to allergen ovalbumin (OVA). This model was used to investigate the effect of Ginkgo biloba leaf powder extract (GBE) on airway inflammation and asthmatic lung. Asthma is a chronic disease characterized by reversible airway obstruction. Airway inflammation is the key factor in the pathogenesis of asthma and current strategies for the management focus on suppressing airway inflammation. Eotaxin is an eosinophils specific chemo attractant that has been recently identified in rodent models of asthma. Cytokines IL-4 or IL-13, especially in combination with tumor necrosis factor alph (TNF-α), resulted in substantial release of the potent eosinophil chemoattactic factor, eotaxin. Eosinophilic leukocytes accumulate in high number in the lungs of asthmatic mouse and are, believed to be important in the pathogenesis of asthma. To observe the effects of GBE on asthmatic mice, leukocytes and eosinophils migration were counted in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) . The production of IL-4, IL-13, and TNF-α were estimated in BALF. Moreover, the mRNA expression of eotaxin was analyzed in BALF by RT-PCR. The present study showed that, there was correlation between eotaxin level and eosinophils infiltration in the allergen OVA exposure group. The results revealed that, GBE markedly inhibit cells migration in BALF, in addition to, reduce the levels of IL-4, IL-13, and TNF-α . This reduction extends to the mRNA expression of eotaxin in BALF. The present results demonstrated that GBE can decrease the severity of asthma not only by suppressing eotaxin but also by inhibiting cytokines production In this research, we address the question of whether Ginkgo biloba leaf powder extract (GBE) can inhibit the eosinophils infiltration, eotaxin and cytokine production in asthmatic lung. [Ghada Tabl and Abd El-Hamid Mohamed Elwy. Evaluation of Ginkgo biloba as Alternative Medicine on OvaInduced Eotaxin and Eosinophilia in Asthmatic Lung. Life Sci J 2013;10(1):2131-2136] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 301