Effects of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) on the guinea pig vestibular system

Previous studies have demonstrated that the administration of Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) improves the compensation of the vestibular syndrome induced by transection of the VIIIth nerve. To investigate the mechanisms at play, the vestibular nuclei of alert guinea pigs were perfused with EGb 761. This perfusion always induced a stereotyped reversible postural syndrome that was the mirror image of the syndrome provoked by the unilateral lesion of the otolithical receptors. This result supports the hypothesis that EGb 761 has a direct excitatory effect on the lateral vestibular nuclei (LVN) neurons. In a second step, we quantified the horizontal vestibuloocular reflex (HVOR) of the normal guinea pig following IP injection of EGb 761. In normal guinea pig, IP administration of EGb 761 led to a reversible, dose-dependent decrease of the HVOR gain without affecting the phase of the reflex. These data help to explain the therapeutic effects of EGb 761 during vestibular syndromes and strongly suggest an impact at the neuronal level.