Wild Ginkgo biloba L. infusion supplies a higher amount of tocopherols than dietary supplements based on the same plant

The oxidative stress has a very high input in the development of neuritic abnormalities (1]. The powerful action exerted by Ginkgo bilobaL on cerebral vascular activity led to an increasing interest on its medicinal potential, mainly related to antioxidant properties (2]. Tocopherols are known to be powerful antioxidants through free radicals scavenging activity that allows the inhibition of lipid peroxidation. They reactwith peroxyl radicals produced from polyunsaturated fatty acids in membrane phospholipids or lipoproteins to yield stable lipid hydroperoxides (3].The purpose of this study was to evaluate the amount and profile of tocopherols in different dietary supplements: pills based on G. biloba leaves standardized extract with 24% glycosides and 6% terpenes (P1, 40 mg/pill ; P2,60 mg/pill; and P3, 100 mg/pill); oral solution (OS- 40 mg of G. biloba standardized extracVmL); and compare them with the infusion of G. bi/obawild leaves (LI) . Tocopherols were identified and quantified by high performance liquid chromatography coupled to a fluorescence detector (HPLC-fluorescence). All the vitamersa-, [3- , y-and a-tocopherol were found in the infusion but not in the dietary supplements. Furthermore, the infusion gave the highest amount of total tocopherols ( 126.23 mg/1 OOg dw) and of each individual vitamer; α- tocopherol was by far the most abundant tocopherol in that sample (124.88 mg/1 OOg dw). This study showed that wild G. biloba infusion supplies a much higher amount of tocopherols than dietary supplements based on the same plant. Moreover, its consumption could be beneficialdue to tocopherols free radicals scavenging activity and related protection to human body against degenerative abnormalities.