Neural Regeneration Research ›› 2019, Vol. 14 ›› Issue (7): 1152-1157.doi: 10.4103/1673-5374.251191

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Effects of Ginkgo biloba extract EGb761 on neural differentiation of stem cells offer new hope for neurological disease treatment

Chao Ren 1, 2  , Yong-Qiang Ji 3 , Hong Liu 2 , Zhe Wang 4 , Jia-Hui Wang 5 , Cai-Yi Zhang 6 , Li-Na Guan 7 , Pei-Yuan Yin 8   

  1. 1 Department of Neurology and Suzhou Clinical Research Center of Neurological Disease, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
    2 Department of Neurology, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
    3 Department of Nephrology, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
    4 Department of Clinical Laboratory, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
    5 Department of Central Laboratory, Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
    6 Department of Emergency and Rescue Medicine, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
    7 Department of Neurosurgical Intensive Care Unit, the Affiliated Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital of Qingdao University, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
    8 Department of Blood Supply, Yantai Center Blood Station, Yantai, Shandong Province, China
  • Online:2019-07-15 Published:2019-07-15
  • Contact: Chao Ren, MD (Doctoral candidate), renchaotg@126.com; Cai-Yi Zhang, MD, 541315541@qq.com; Li-Na Guan, MD, guanlinatg@126.com.
  • Supported by:

    This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81501185 (to CR); the Key Research & Development Project of Shandong Province of China, No. 2017GSF218043 (to CR); the Science and Technology Planning Project of Yantai of China, No. 2016WS017 (to LNG), 2017WS105 (to HL).

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Abstract:

Stem cell transplantation has brought new hope for the treatment of neurological diseases. The key to stem cell therapy lies in inducing the specific differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells. Because the differ¬entiation of stem cells in vitro and in vivo is affected by multiple factors, the final differentiation outcome is strongly associated with the microenvironment in which the stem cells are located. Accordingly, the optimal microenvironment for inducing stem cell differentiation is a hot topic. EGb761 is extracted from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree. It is used worldwide and is becoming one of the focuses of stem cell research. Studies have shown that EGb761 can antagonize oxygen free radicals, stabilize cell membranes, promote neurogenesis and synaptogenesis, increase the level of brain-derived neurotrophic factors, and replicate the environment required during the differentiation of stem cells into nerve cells. This offers the possibility of using EGb761 to induce the differentiation of stem cells, facilitating stem cell transplantation. To provide a comprehensive reference for the future application of EGb761 in stem cell therapy, we re¬viewed studies investigating the influence of EGb761 on stem cells. These started with the composition and neuropharmacology of EGb761, and eventually led to the finding that EGb761 and some of its important components play important roles in the differentiation of stem cells and the protection of a beneficial mi¬croenvironment for stem cell transplantation.

Key words: nerve regeneration, Ginkgo biloba extract, Ginkgolide B, traditional Chinese medicine, stem cells, induction of differentiation, stem cell transplantation, synaptic plasticity, pharmacological effect, neurological diseases, nervous systems, neural regeneration