Effectiveness of ginkgo biloba extract to improve the toxic effects of sodium benzoate administration in the liver of male albino mice.

Abstract

The use of preservatives in food may be harmful for human because of the hidden cumulative effect. Ginkgo biloba is a medicinal plant contains mixture of polyphenols with antioxidant properties that has been recently used in medicine to improve health in human. Therefore the purpose of this study is to investigate the protective effect of ginkgo biloba on liver damage induced by sodium benzoate administration. Twenty-four experimental male albino mice were divided into four groups. The first group served as control and was given disH2O. The second group was given 120 mg/kg body weight of sodium benzoate orally, thrice weekly, for 2 weeks. The third group was exposed to sodium benzoate and supplemented with ginkgo biloba extract. The fourth group was supplemented with 150 mg/kg body weight of ginkgo biloba extract. Results revealed that sodium benzoate caused an abnormal distribution of liver proteins as well as DNA damage with histopathological changes and Bax expression in the liver of treated groups. Ginkgo biloba co-treatment with sodium benzoate appears to ameliorate the adverse effects of sodium benzoate in the hepatic tissue as it takes most of the affected parameters close to normal.