Ginkgo compounds and the war on cellulite
Cellulitis is a condition associated with chronic venous insufficiency
and venous stasis. Symptomatic relief can be achieved by topically applying
substances that promote skin microcirculation and lipolysis. Since lipolysis
is a process regulated by cAMP levels, the use of compounds that stimulate
adenylate cyclase or that inhibit cAMP phosphodiesterase is one potential
method of increasing lipolytic activity. A Ginkgo biloba fraction
rich in dimeric flavonoids appears to exert anti-inflammatory and vasokinetic
properties. Identified as GBDF, the fraction contains amentoflavone
and biflavonoids including bilobetin, sequoiaflavone, ginkgetin, isoginkgetin
and sciadopitysin, all of which differ in the position and number of
methylated hydroxyl groups. In laboratory assays, GBDF inhibited cAMP
phosphodiesterase (PDE) in a concentration dependent fashion. Degree
of inhibition by individual biflavone compounds was inversely proportional
to the number of methoxy groups on the compound, with sciadopitysin
showing almost no anti-PDE activity and amentoflavone and bilobetin
showing the most activity. Further studies are being undertaken to investigate
the effect of these compounds on the biochemistry of intact fat cells.
Bosisio S. Biflavones of
Ginkgo biloba in cosmetics. Fitoterapia 1998; 69(5):33. |
