Hemorheology and walking of peripheral arterial occlusive diseases patients during treatment with Ginkgo biloba extract.

AIM: To study the effects of Ginkgo biloba extract 761 (GbE) from the points of view of hemorheology for patients of peripheral arterial occlusive diseases (PAOD). METHODS: The treatment with GbE (240 mg.d-1, po) and the pain-free walking distance (PFWD) were carried out for 24 PAOD patients (12 nondiabetic, ND and 12 diabetic, D) over 48 wk. The parameters erythrocyte stiffness (ES) and relaxation time (RT), the blood plasma viscosity (eta), the plasma fibrinogen concentration (Cf) and the blood sedimentation rate (BSR), the PFWD, and maximal walking distance (MWD) were determined at 6 wk before treatment (-6), at the beginning of the treatment (0), and after 6, 11, 16, and 48 wk of treatment. RESULTS: At wk -6, ES and RT of both the ND- and D-group were not significantly different from a healthy control group. At wk 0, stiffness and RT were significantly higher than healthy control, and the mean PFWD was only 111 m. The eta value was significantly elevated and Cf and BSR were enhanced. Throughout 11 wk of treatment ES, RT, eta, and Cf decreased gradually and PFWD improved. Between 16 and 48 wk, ES, and RT were no longer significantly different from the controls, whereas eta and Cf decreased gradually but remained higher than normal, BSR decreased, and the PFWD improved by a factor of 3.8 times (D) and 3.3 times (ND). CONCLUSION: GbE gives therapeutic effects in PAOD patients.