Abstract

 Ginkgolide B (GKB) a natural substance, belonging to the family of ginkgolides from Ginkgo biloba extracts is acknowledged as a therapeutic drug having beneficial effects in neurological disorders or as a blood platelets antiaggregant. Because of the increasing interest in the mechanisms of interaction of the substance with various structures of living systems, we have proposed ourselves to follow up its effects on the artificial lipid membranes by studying the modifications induced by increasing concentrations of GKB in the electric properties of lipid membranes formed with diphytanoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) in the absence and in the presence of cholesterol. With this view two electrophysiological techniques have been used, the Black Lipid Membrane (BLM) and the Solid Supported Membrane (SSM) methods. Our results indicate that GKB binds to the lipid bilayers and that the presence of cholesterol does not influence significantly the affinity and the cooperativity of GKB binding, but leads to a decrease in the conductance as compared to the values in its absence. 

Authors and Affiliations