Isolation of Ginkgolides and the Effect of These Components on Inflammation in Mice Induced by Complete Freund's Adjuvant.

The major active components of EGb 761, extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves, include flavonoid glycosides and unique diterpenes known as ginkgolides. Ginkgolides are potent inhibitors of platelet activating factor. In this study, we investigated antiinflammatory activity of ginkgolides on the Complete Freund"s Adjuvant (CFA)-induced mice. The ginkgolides were extracted from commercially available EGb 761. This extracting procedure was done by sequential treatments of the EGb 761 with chloroform, methanol, and water. (omitted)tted)