Ginkgo Biloba Leaf Extract Improves an Innate Immune Response of Peripheral Blood Leukocytes of Alzheimer's Disease Patients.

BACKGROUND

One of the main features of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology is failure in innate immune response and chronic inflammation. Lack of effective AD treatment means that more attention is paid to alternative therapy and drugs of natural origin, such as extract of (EGb). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of EGb on the mechanisms of innate immune response of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) in AD patients.

METHODS

In AD patients and healthy-age matched controls, the effect of EGb on two of innate immune reactions, i.e., PBLs resistance to viral infection ex vivo and production of cytokines, namely TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-15, and IFN-α, were investigated. The influence of EGb on inflammatory-associated genes expression that regulate innate immune response to viral infection and cytokine production, namely and was also examined.

RESULTS

A beneficial effect of EGb especially in AD women was observed. EGb decreased production of TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IL-10 and increased IL-15 and IL-1β. The effect was more pronouncement in AD group. EGb also downregulated expression of investigated genes.

CONCLUSIONS

EGb may have an advantageous properties for health management in elderly and AD sufferers but especially in women with AD. Improving peripheral innate immune cells' activity by adding EGb as accompanying treatment in AD may be, in the long term, a good course to modify the disease progression.