RESUMO
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of extract of ginkgo biloba(EGB) on cytokine levels and clinical efficacy of patients with asthma.Methods A prospective randomized control trial was conducted. 112 patients with asthma in Department of Respiratory Medicine of Affiliated Hospital of Hebei Union University were enrolled. The patients were divided into ginkgo lamina group(58 cases) and conventional therapy group(54 cases) by random number table.According to the Global Initiative for Asthma(GINA) Prevention and Treatment, both groups received conventional therapy, and in addition, every patient in ginkgo lamina group took 2 tablets once of EGB(40 mg/tablet) orally, 3 times a day for 2 weeks. The radioimmunoassay was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukins(IL-6, IL-8, IL-10) in patients of two groups before and after treatment, and the changes of pulmonary functions were observed.Results After treatment, serum IL-6,IL-8 and TNF-α were significantly decreased and IL-10 was increased in patients of both groups, the above changes of indexes in ginkgo lamina group being more obvious compared with those in conventional therapy group〔IL-6(μg/L): 0.15±0.05 vs. 0.23±0.12, IL-8 (μg/L): 0.51±0.24 vs. 1.42±0.54, IL-10(μg/L): 69.18±13.12 vs. 32.61±12.51, TNF-α(μg/L): 1.35±0.59 vs. 2.14±1.52,allP<0.05〕. After treatment, the pulmonary function indexes of patients in the two groups were increased obviously, and the increase in ginkgo biloba group being more significant compared with that in conventional therapy group〔percentage of 1 second forced expiratory volume/predicted value(FEV1%):(68.12±0.38)% vs. (55.32±0.24)%, FEV1/forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC):(71.32±0.59)% vs.(56.56±0.42)%, percentage of peak expiratory flow rate/predicted value(PEF%):(63.28±0.24)% vs.(52.14±0.24)%, allP<0.05〕. ConclusionGinkgo biloba may improve the airway inflammation in patients with asthma by affecting the levels of serum IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α.