Introduction: Many neurological diseases are associated with excitotoxicity and increased glutamate levels in the CNS. Several studies show that Ginkgo biloba and Panax ginseng demonstrate neuroprotective and antioxidants properties without undesirable side effects [1]. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect of extracts of Ginkgo biloba (GK501) and Panax ginseng (G115) alone or in combination in rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures and mixed cortical cells exposed to excitotoxic insults.
Materials and Methods: G115 and GK501 alone or in combination were tested in two experimental models of primary cultures exposed to excitotoxicity. R at organotypic hippocampal slices were exposed to either 5µM kainic acid or 10µM N-Methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) for 24hr and cell death in the CA3 or CA1 subregions quantified using propidium iodide fluorescence [2]. Murine mixed cortical cells were exposed to 300µM NMDA (10mins) and at 24hr cell damage was evaluated by measuring levels of lactate dehydrogenase [3].
Results and Conclusion: No adverse effect or injury was observed in the hippocampal slices or the mixed cortical cells when exposed to GK501 and G115 extracts alone or in combination. However, when present in the incubation medium during NMDA or kainate insult a dose-dependent neuroprotective effect was observed that reached maximal significance at 0.01mg/ml for G115, 0.017mg/ml for GK501 and 0.027mg/ml for the combination for both the hippocampal slices and mixed cortical cells. Our results suggest that Ginkgo biloba (GK501) and Panax ginseng (G115) extracts alone or in combination have neuroprotective effects that were increased when in combination. These results suggest a role of this combination as a novel potential approach for the treatment and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.
References:
1. Sangiovanni, E. et al. Neuronal Plast, 2017; 1-19
2. Gerace, E. et al. Methods Mol Biol, 2012; 846, 343-54
3. Landucci, E. et al. Neuropharmacology 2016; 108, 39-48