ABSTRACT
<p><b>AIM</b>To investigate the protective effects of ginkgolide B and hypoxic preconditioning against acute hypoxia injury in mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Ordinary pressure acute hypoxia model in mice was adopted to observe the ethology, the duration of the death and the degree of brain edema. Meanwhile the expression of RTP801 mRNA and erythropoietin (EPO) were measured by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Ginkgolide B and hypoxic preconditioning could both prolong the survival time of hypoxia under ordinary pressure,and significantly decreased the degree of brain edema. Besides ginkgolide B and hypoxic preconditioning could both up-regulate the expression of RTP801mRNA and EPO.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ginkgolide B has the similar effect to hypoxic preconditioning against acute hypoxia. Both of these protective effects may be associated with the up-regulation of the expression of RTP801 mRNA and EPO.</p>