Ginkgo biloba extract improves coronary blood flow in healthy elderly adults: Role of endothelium-dependent vasodilation

Advancing age decreases endothelial function; accordingly, it alters the physiological regulation of coronary blood flow. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) has well-documented anti-ageing effects. However, little is yet known about the pharmacological actions of GBE on endothelial dysfunction and coronary blood flow in healthy elderly adults. We designed the study to test the effects of GBE on distal left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) blood flow and endothelium-dependent brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) in healthy elderly adults.Sixty healthy elderly adults were randomly assigned to either GBE or control groups. LAD blood flow and brachial artery FMD were measured non-invasively using high-resolution ultrasound before and after intravenous administration of GBE or saline. GBE significantly increased LAD blood flow in maximal diastolic peak velocity (MDPV), maximal systolic peak velocity (MSPV) and diastolic time velocity integral (DTVI) compared with the placebo group (19.16±13.91% vs. 0.30±2.55%, 17.76±14.56% vs. 0.53±2.32%, and 21.73±16.13% vs. 0.81±2.33%, MDPV, MSPV, and DTVI improvement from baseline, respectively, p<0.01). Brachial artery FMD was also increased by 56.03% (from 7.21±2.52% to 11.28±3.95%, p<0.01). A linear correlation was found between the percentage change in MDPV, MSPV, or DTVI of LAD blood flow and the percentage change in brachial artery FMD following treatment with GBE (r=0.538, 0.366, or 0.573, respectively, p<0.01, p<0.05, or p<0.01). Our data demonstrate that GBE treatment in healthy elderly adults leads to the increase of LAD blood flow in MDPV, MSPV and DTVI, and the increased response might relate to the improved endothelium-dependent vasodilatory capacity. This study implies an important future therapeutic strategy of using GBE to counteract the detrimental effects of ageing.     

Biotransformation of 14-deacetoxyl sinenxan A by Ginkgo cell suspension cultures and the cytotoxic activity evaluation

14-Deacetoxyl sinenxan A [2,5,10β-triacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene, 1] was converted to two new products, 10β-hydroxy-2,5-diacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene (2) and 10β-butyloxy-2,5-diacetoxy-4(20),11-taxadiene (3) both about in 20% yields by Ginkgo cell suspension cultures. Their structures were identified on the basis of their chemical and spectroscopic data. The three compounds (1–3) were preliminarily evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxic activities against two solid tumor cell lines and their drug-resistant counterparts (KB and KB/V, MCF-7 and MCF-7/ADR), and the decreased activities were observed in the case of the two products. The results suggested that biotransformation might be a valuable approach to diversifying natural products and provide some useful information on the study on the structure–activity relationships of the type of compounds.     

切断海马伞对大鼠硬性脑挫伤后运动行为恢复的影响

硬性挫伤运动皮层诱发大鼠偏瘫及其随后的行为代偿是研究中枢神经可塑性的一个理想模型。本工作观察了切断海马伞对脑挫伤后行为恢复的影响。结果表明：与对照组相比,(1)切断海马伞—穹隆通路明显延缓了大鼠运动平衡能力的恢复;(2)切断海马伞—穹隆通路后,银杏类黄酮(FGb)失去了促进脑挫伤后运动平衡能力恢复的作用;(3)原位杂交显示,脑损伤后海马DG(齿状回)和CA3区中生长相关蛋白(GAP—43)mRNA的水平明显提高;(4)FGb促进脑损伤后海马DG和CA3区中的GAP—43mRNA水平的上调。这些信息提示,海马参与脑硬性挫伤后的运动代偿,FGb促进脑损伤后的运动行为的恢复可能与海马相关[动物学报49(2)：211-217,2003]。     

银杏性别相关分子标记

利用RAPD技术寻找银杏(Ginkgo biloba L.)中与性别相关的分子标记。筛选了1200个10bp的随机引物,产生了8372个RAPD条带。只有S1478产生一条大小为682bp、雄性特异的分子标记,该分子标记被命名为S1478—682,出现在所有雄性植株中,而所有雌性植株都不具有该分子标记。通过在北京和沈阳种植的银杏植株的RAPD推广验证,说明该分子标记可以用来检测银杏植株的性别。     

银杏叶药物成分的数量遗传分析及多性状选择

收集国内银杏优良无性第87个,探讨叶内黄酮及内酯的遗传规律并筛选高药物成分的叶用品种。结果表明,银杏叶黄酮的遗传力（h^2),遗传变异系数（GCV）等遗传参数都是无性系＞性别＞种源。雄株叶内黄酮σg^2,h^2,GCV和△G‘大于雌株。雄株内有黄酮含量最高的无性系,而雌株内有内酯含量最高的无性系。含有结果性状的多性状选择指数,指数遗传力Hi^2,选择数与性状基因型值的相关riY^2,选择指数的效率E1及相关遗传进度的比较效率CGS‘均较单性状选择和不含结果性状的多性状选择高。银杏叶用品种更适于直接或指数选择。采用Wricke等方法对基因稳定性进行评价,筛选出4个高黄酮和高内酯无性系,黄酮含量大于2％,内酯大于0．3％。     

银杏雌雄基因组DNA间的差异性分析

本研究应用RAPD技术,应用300个10bp随机单引物及200对随机双引物组合,检测了雌雄异株银杏基因组DNA的多态性。结果表明:雌雄基因组间具有极高的相似性,在检测到的3450个标记中,仅获得1个与银杏雄性基因组相关的RAPD标记。以该标记为探针,与雌雄银杏基因组DNA的Southern杂交分析,其杂交信号在两性之间表现为限制性片段长度多态性,该结果为寻找银杏早期性别鉴定的探针以及在细胞和分子水平进一步研究其性别问题奠定了基础。     

银杏雄株GinNdly全长基因的分离克隆

以银杏栽培品种大佛手(Ginkgo biloba L.cv.Dafushou)雄株为材料,用四月中旬幼嫩的叶片基因组DNA为模板,通过PCR扩增,获得银杏雄株LEAFY(LFY)同源基因GinNdly全长基因。结果分析表明,该全长基因含1493个核苷酸。与文献报道的银杏雌株GinNdly基因相比,碱基数少了三个,对应地氨基酸少一个,核苷酸同源性为99.7％,氨基酸同源性为99.3％。该基因的克隆为在分子水平上研究银杏开花调控机理奠定了良好的基础。     

银杏胚珠贮粉室的早期发育

对银杏 (GinkgobilobaL .)胚珠贮粉室的早期发育过程以及珠心细胞死亡的细胞学机制进行了研究。DNA电泳出现DNAladder和TUNEL标记说明参与形成贮粉室的珠心细胞死亡是程序性死亡 (PCD)过程 ,并且显示出在贮粉室形成中 ,PCD的发生有一定的空间分布式样。结合扫描电镜观察 ,贮粉室的早期发育可分为 4个阶段 :起始事件是位于珠孔端的 3至 4层珠心细胞纵向伸长 ;接着 ,位于珠心组织最上部 (珠孔端 )的珠心细胞启始死亡 ;然后 ,这些已经纵向伸长的珠心细胞向基地和侧向地逐渐死亡 ,形成一个空腔 ;最后 ,珠孔端珠心表皮细胞以开裂的方式与其余表皮细胞脱离而形成贮粉室的开口。大孢子母细胞时期 ,贮粉室尚未发生 ;四分体阶段 ,贮粉室已经开始形成 ;到雌配子体发育时期 ,贮粉室已经完全产生。反映大孢子发育和贮粉室发生的同步性。     

生长调节剂处理对银杏结实的影响

盛花期对银杏雌株叶面喷施多效唑,B9,GA3,GA3＋6－BA。结果表明,多效唑和B9能够明显提高坐果率,有效增加来年成花数量,GA3和GA3＋6－BA对提高坐果无影响,但能增加种子重量,促进纵,横径增加,GA3还能够促进翌年成花数量,多效唑处理提高产量的原因,一是抑制树体营养生长,二是减少落花落果,增加植株翌年成花量。     

Is Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae) really an oviparous plant?

Germination of Ginkgo biloba seeds with intact and removed sarcotesta was compared to test the role of the seed coat in germination biology. The presence of an intact sarcotesta significantly reduced total germination percentage when compared to seeds with the sarcotesta removed. Some seeds were also cold stratified. This treatment was not necessary for germination, but it did improve total germination percentage. The seeds were collected during the period of natural abscission. Contrary to the accepted literature, we found that Ginkgo seeds contain well-developed embryos at the time of dispersal. These data demonstrate that the seed coat contributes to winter dormancy of G. biloba, and that the phenology of this species is less primitive than popularly believed.