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Ginkgo biloba Extract Protects against Methotrexate-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Computational and Pharmacological Approach
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
  • Lina Tariq Al Kury, Zayed University
  • Fazli Dayyan, Riphah International University
  • Fawad Ali Shah, Riphah International University
  • Zulkifal Malik, Riphah International University
  • Atif Ali Khan Khalil, National University of Medical Sciences
  • Abdullah Alattar, University of Tabuk
  • Reem Alshaman, University of Tabuk
  • Amjad Ali, University of Malakand
  • Zahid Khan, Federal Urdu University of Arts
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
5-29-2020
Abstract

Ginkgo biloba extract possess several promising biological activities; currently, it is clinically employed in the management of several diseases. This research work aimed to extrapolate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of Ginkgo biloba (Gb) in methotrexate (MTX)-induced liver toxicity model. These effects were analyzed using different in vivo experimental approaches and by bioinformatics analysis. Male SD rats were grouped as follows: saline; MTX; Gb (pretreated for seven days with 60, 120, and 180 mg/kg daily dose before MTX treatment); silymarin (followed by MTX treatment); Gb 180 mg/kg daily only; and silymarin only. Histopathological results revealed that MTX induced marked hepatic injury, associated with a substantial surge in various hepatic enzymes such as alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Furthermore, MTX caused the triggering of oxidative distress associated with a depressed antioxidant system. All these injury markers contributed to a significant release of apoptotic (caspase-3 and c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK)) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)-like inflammatory mediators. Treatment with Gb counteracts MTX-mediated apoptosis and inflammation dose-dependently along with modulating the innate antioxidative mechanisms such as glutathione (GSH) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). These results were further supplemented by in silico study to analyze drug-receptor interactions (for several Gb constituents and target proteins) stabilized by a low energy value and with a good number of hydrogen bonds. These findings demonstrated that Gb could ameliorate MTX-induced elevated liver reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammation, possibly by JNK and TNF-α modulation.

Publisher
NLM (Medline)
Keywords
  • caspase-3,
  • drug-protein interaction,
  • Ginkgo biloba,
  • hepatotoxicity,
  • IL-1β,
  • JNK,
  • TNF-α
Scopus ID
85085909163
Creative Commons License
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Indexed in Scopus
Yes
Open Access
Yes
Open Access Type
Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series
Citation Information
Lina Tariq Al Kury, Fazli Dayyan, Fawad Ali Shah, Zulkifal Malik, et al.. "Ginkgo biloba Extract Protects against Methotrexate-Induced Hepatotoxicity: A Computational and Pharmacological Approach" Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 25 Iss. 11 (2020) p. 2540 ISSN: <a href="https://v2.sherpa.ac.uk/id/publication/issn/1420-3049" target="_blank">1420-3049</a>
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/lina-alkury/34/