RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGB) on the serum levels of cytokines in patients suffering from chronic, age-related neurological disorders (NDs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients received 9.6 mg of EGB twice daily for 8 weeks. Serum levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) before and after treatment. RESULTS: The serum level of IL-6 was significantly higher in ND patients as compared to the healthy controls. After these patients underwent 4 and 8 weeks of EGB treatment, their IL-6 levels were shown a statistically significant (P<0.05) decline to near normal values. No significant changes were observed in serum levels of IL-1ß and TNF-α after EGB treatment. We also observed an inverse relationship between ND and serum cholesterol levels. CONCLUSIONS: EGB may exert its beneficial effects in patients suffering from NDs through down-regulation and suppression of IL-6 secretion.
RESUMO
PURPOSE: The authors investigated the effect of lumbar facet tropism (FT) on intervertebral disc degeneration (DD), facet joint degeneration (FJD), and segmental translational motion. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using kinetic MRI (KMRI), lumbar FT, which was defined as a difference in symmetry of more than 7degrees between the orientations of the facet joints, was investigated in 900 functional spinal units (300 subjects) in flexion, neutral, and extension postures. Each segment at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 was assessed based on the extent of DD (grade I-V) and FJD (grade 1-4). According to the presence of FT, they were classified into two groups; one with FT and one with facet symmetry. For each group, demographics, DD, FJD and translational segmental motion were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of FT was 34.5% at L3-L4, 35.1% at L4-L5, and 35.2% at L5-S1. Age and gender did not show any significant relationship with FT. Additionally, no correlation was observed between DD and FT. FT, however, wasfound to be associated with a higher incidence of highly degenerated facet joints at L4-L5 when compared to patients without FT (p < 0.01). Finally, FT was not observed to have any effects upon translational segmental motion. CONCLUSION: No significant correlation was observed between lumbar FT and DD or translational segmental motion. However, FT was shown to be associated significantly with the presence of high grades of FJD at L4-L5. This suggests that at active sites of segmental motion, FT may predispose to the development of facet joint degeneration.
