— Christine M. Kukka, Project Manager, HBV Advocate
An emulsion made from ginkgo leaves appears to be effective against hepatitis B. According to researchers in China, the compound has the unique ability to simultaneously stimulate the immune system, attack the outer coating of the hepatitis B virus and protect normal cells.
Extracts from ginkgo leaves have been used for more than 1,000 years against a variety of ailments in Asia. More recently, ginkgo is believed to improve blood circulation, help the brain, eyes, ears, and legs, and even slow development of Alzheimer’s disease.
In a recent study reported in the March 2015 issue of the journal Molecules, researchers used a nanoemulsion derived from ginkgo leaves, called GBP, to see how it affected the hepatitis B antigens and HBV DNA in human cells in a laboratory setting over a nine-day period.
The nanoemulsion of ginkgo caused no harm to normal cells, but was able to reduce levels of HBsAg and HBeAg by more than half, and it reduced HBV DNA levels. Unlike synthetic antivirals, this natural compound is promising because it does not harm normal cells.
"The inhibitory effects and reactive mechanisms were similar to the (antiviral lamivudine);" researchers wrote, "by lengthening the incubation time and increasing the drug concentration, GBP has promising potential as an antiviral drug."
"...The key antiviral activity of GBP was to stimulate cells to produce interferon," they observed. "An additional feature of GBP is that it has a direct killing effect on the outer membrane of the virus and protects normal cells. Further research is needed to evaluate the influence of GBP on the immune system."
Labels: Ginkgo emulsion
