Ginkgo biloba differentially affects untransformed and malignant cells in the liver

Ginkgo biloba (EGb) is a widely used botanical drug with diverse biological properties. Several reports indicate that EGb confers both preventive effects as well as anti-tumorigenic properties in a variety of tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We here evaluate the functional and mechanistic effects of EGb on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells as well as untransformed hepatocytes. Human hepatoma cell lines, primary human HCC cells and immortalized human hepatocytes were exposed to various concentrations (0 – 1000 ug/ml) of EGb 761, a well-defined and quantified EGb leaf extract. Effects on prolif…