AIM To investigate the protection effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) on stress induced gastric dysfunction and mucosa
lesions in rats. METHODS Male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to control, stress model and EGb treatment group. The gastric
myoelectric activity was recorded during the water immersion restraint stress by implanting electrodes in the stomach antrum smooth muscle. The malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma and gastric mucosa tissue, and gastric mucosal lesions was examined after the rat was killed. RESULTS The stress resulted in gastric myoelectric activity significant disturbance and mucosa lesions. It showed markedly increase of slow wave amplitude, action potential activity and MDA levels ( P <0 01 versus control). The gastric mucosal was vascular congestion and necrosis in histology. Previous intraperitoneal administration of EGb (15*!mg/*!kg) not only had a highly significant inhibitory on the myoelectric activity alterations, but it reduced significantly MDA level and gastric mucosal ulceration index ( P <0 01 versus stress group) induced by stress. CONCLUSION EGb has a markedly protective effects on gastric movement dysfunction and mucosal ulceration induced by water immersion restraint stress. The mechanism might be that EGb modulated gastric myoelectric activity and reduced the production of
free radicals.