Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract on Liver Caspase-8 in Acute Liver Failured Rats

50 rats were divided into five groups and treated with different levels of ginkgo biloba extract(GBE) to study the protection effects of GBE on TAA-induced acute liver failure(ALF) rats,its effect on liver Caspase-8 and the function mechanism.The three treat groups were successively administrated for 30 days with low,middle and high dose of GBE,such as 50,100 and 200mg/kg,respectively.The control group and the model group were administrated with saline at the same volume.At the 28th day,the model group and three treat groups were treated with thioacetamide(TAA) of 300mg/kg by intraperitoneal injection.The control group was treated with saline.The results showed that compared with the control group,the serum alanine aminotransferase(ALT) and aspartate transaminase(AST) of the rats in the model group were obviously increased,and Caspase-8 mRNA in liver was overexpressed.Compared with the model group,the levels of serum ALT and AST of the mice in GBE treat groups were significantly decreased and the gene expression of Caspase-8 was significantly down regulated in liver.It indicated that the protective effects of GBE on liver were realized through regulating the expression of Caspase-8 to inhibit the hepatic apoptosis in acute liver failure rats.