Abstract: Ginkgo bilboa injection, is extracted from ginkgo leaf. The protective effects of ginkgo bilboa extract (GBE) on focal cerebral ischemic injury were studied. Focal cerebral ischemia was produced by permanent occlusion of the proximal portion of the right middle cerebral artery (MCA) with the technique of Tamura. The neurologic status of each rat was carefully evaluated at 8 and 24 h after surgery. The cerebral infarction and water content were measured. The histological changes of brain tissue after MCAOin rats were also studied. Treatment with GBE 20 or 40 mg/kg iv was shown to significantly reduce the cerebral infarction and water content, attenuate neurological deficits. The degree of inhibition of cerebral infarction were 24.4% (P<0.05) and 34.7% (P<0.01), respectively. In pathological examination, the extent of tissue ischemia in the group of treatment with GBE 40 mg/kg was much less than that of control. These results indicate that GBE protects rats from ischemic neurological damage.

Key words: GBE, focal cerebral ischemia, infarct size, neurological deficits