RESUMO
PURPOSE: Gingko biloba extract (GBE), a natural product extracted from Gingko leaves, is known to increase the radiosensitivity of tumors. This radiosensitization probably arises from the increase in the peripheral blood flow by decreasing the blood viscosity and relaxing the vasospasm. The influence of a GBE on the metabolic status in fibrosarcoma II (FSaII) of a C3H mouse was investigated using 31P magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen C3H mice with fibrosarcoma II (from 100 mm3 to 130 mm3) were prepared for this experiment. The mice were divided into 2 groups; one (9 mice) without a priming dose, and the other (9 mice) with a priming dose of GBE. The GBE priming dose (100 mg/kg) was administered by an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection 24 hours prior to the measurement. First 31P MRS spectra were measured in the mice from each group as a baseline and test dose of GBE (100 mg/kg) was then administered to each group. One hour later, the 31P MRS spectra were measured again to evaluate the change in the energy metabolic status. RESULTS: In the group without the priming dose, the mean pH, PCr/Pi, PME/ATP, Pi/ATP, PCr/(Pi+ME) values 1 hour after the test dose were not changed significantly compared to the values at the baseline. However, in the group with the priming dose, the mean PCr/Pi, Pi/ATP, PCr/(Pi+PME) values 1 hour after the test dose changed from the baseline values of 0.49, 0.77, 0.17 to 0.74, 0.57, 0.28 respectively. According to the paired t-test, the differences were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: The above findings suggest that the metabolic status is significantly improved after administering GBE if the priming dose is given 24 hours earlier. This shows that the radiosensitizing effect of GBE is based on the increase of tumor blood flow and the improvement in the metabolic status.