Abstract
Although the exact cause of neuronal loss in Parkinson's disease is not known, evidence points to oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species as the main events that occur in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the brain of parkinsonians. EGb761 is an extract of the leaves from the Ginkgo biloba tree that has been reported as an antioxidant and neuroprotective agent. The objective of this work was to perform a systematic review of the studies that analysed the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on Parkinson's disease or Parkinsonism. This research was conducted using the following databases: Medline, PsycInfo, Cinahl, Sigle, Lilacs, Scielo, Cochrane Library, and Embase. Initially, we selected 32 articles. After a more detailed analysis, only 10 articles remained. One of the hypotheses for the positive effect of EGb761 on Parkinson's disease is the reduction or inhibition of monoamine-oxidase activity. This enzyme metabolises dopamine, inducing the formation of free radicals, which in turn damage nigrostriatal neurons. Another hypothesis is that the neuroprotective effect of EGb761 against 6-hydroxydopamine, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine and MPP+ toxins. As there are few studies on the effect of EGb761 on humans, this review could contribute new data to further the discussion of this issue.
Highlights
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative pathology characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, mainly in the substantia nigra pars compacta, and the resulting depletion of the neurotransmitter, dopamine (DA), in the striatum, which leads to motor performance decrement [1,2]
EGb761 prevented the enhancement of striatal MAO activity, the striatal dopamine-depleting effect and the reduction in striatal tyrosine hydroxylase activity
The results of this review show the beneficial effects of Ginkgo biloba extract in animal models of PD
Summary
Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative pathology characterised by the loss of dopaminergic neurons, mainly in the substantia nigra pars compacta, and the resulting depletion of the neurotransmitter, dopamine (DA), in the striatum, which leads to motor performance decrement [1,2]. The exact cause of neuron loss in PD is not known, evidence points to oxidative stress and the production of oxygen reactive species [3,4,5]. It is crucial that researchers develop new neuroprotective agents that aim to reduce or prevent the progression of PD. EGb761 is an extract from the leaves of a tree known as Ginkgo biloba. It has been reported to be an antioxidative and neuroprotective agent in a variety of conditions, such as ischemia [6], oxidative stress [7] and induced -amiloid toxicity [8]. EGb761 contains 24% flavonoids and 6% terpenoids (known as ginkgolides and bilobalides, respectively) [9]. The molecular weight of EGb761 is relatively low, allowing it to pass through the hematoencephalic barrier; EGb761 presents a wide range of pharmacological actions on the central nervous system [10]
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