The in vivo neuromodulatory effects of the herbal medicine ginkgo biloba.

ABSTRACT: Extracts of Ginkgo biloba leaves are consumed as dietary supplements to counteract chronic, age-related neurological disorders. We have applied high-density oligonucleotide microarrays to define the transcriptional effects in the cortex and hippocampus of mice whose diets were supplemented with the herbal extract. Gene expression analysis focused on the mRNAs that showed a more than 3-fold change in their expression. In the cortex, mRNAs for neuronal tyrosine/threonine phosphatase 1, and microtubule-associated tau were significantly enhanced. Hyperphosphorylated tau is the major constituent of the neurofibrillary tangles in the brains of Alzheimer's disease patients. The expression of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)-2, calcium and chloride channels, prolacti

SUBMITTER: Watanabe CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC34395 | biostudies-literature | 2001 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature