Effect of Ginkgo biloba extract on the expressions of Cox-2 and GST-Pi in rats with hepatocellular carcinoma risk.

BACKGROUND: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common and aggressive cancers worldwide, and the pathogenesis is complicated at present. There iare few effective therapeutic measures, and novel therapeutic strategies are urgently required to improve clinical outcome. Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb) is reported to have an anti-cancer activity. OBJECTIVES: To explore the effect of EGb on expressions of cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and glutathione S-transferase Pi (GST-Pi) in the pathogenesis of HCC. METHODS: 120 Wistar rats were divided into three groups at random: normal control group (control group), HCC risk group without treatment (HCC risk group), HCC risk group treated with EGb (EGb group); n=40, respectively. The HCC risk in rat was induced by aflatoxin B1 injection. At the end of 13-week, 33-week, 53-week and 73-week, 10 rats in each group were killed and the relevant samples were collected. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 and GST-Pi were measured by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemical analysis and western-blot. When compared with those in the control group in 73-week, the mRNA and protein expressions of GST-Pi in EGb group were weaker than those in HCC risk group in 73-week. However, the mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 in HCC risk group were increased than that of control group, and there was no statistical difference for mRNA and protein expressions of Cox-2 between HCC risk group and EGb group. CONCLUSION: EGb can regulate the expression of GST-Pi, but it does not seem to have an effect on Cox-2 expression in the liver of HCC risk rats.