Ginkgolide B: A Review of the Potential Molecular Mechanisms for Delaying Aging and Prolonging Lifespan

Abstract

This review focuses on the potential role and molecular mechanism of ginkgolide B (GB) in delaying aging and prolonging lifespan. By deeply analyzing the recent research literature, this paper explores the effects of GB on the healthy lifespan and total lifespan of aged mice, as well as its mechanism of action in improving muscle function, metabolic health, reducing inflammation and cellular senescence, providing a new perspective and potential intervention targets for anti-aging research.

Introduction

With the intensification of the global trend of population aging, the incidence of aging-related diseases is constantly rising. This not only poses a huge challenge to personal health, but also imposes a heavy burden on social medical resources. Aging is a complex biological process involving various changes at the cellular and molecular levels, including alterations in gene expression, the decline of cell functions, and the degeneration of tissues and organs. In recent years, seeking effective anti-aging intervention measures has become a cutting-edge topic in the field of life sciences. Ginkgolide B (GB), as an active terpene compound extracted from ginkgo biloba leaves, has attracted much attention due to its health benefits demonstrated in multiple studies. The latest research has found that GB has a significant improvement effect on the healthy lifespan and total lifespan of elderly female mice, which brings new hope to anti-aging research.

The impact of GB on healthy lifespan and lifespan

In a study on elderly female mice, researchers found that mice that were continuously orally administered GB starting from 20 months of age had a 30% longer median survival period and an 8.5% longer median lifespan. This result indicates that GB has significant potential in prolonging the lifespan of aged mice. In addition, GB treatment also reduced the incidence of tumors, enhanced muscle mass, physical strength and metabolic function, and decreased systemic inflammation and the number of senescent cells. These combined effects not only prolonged the lifespan of mice, but more importantly, enhanced their healthy lifespan, enabling elderly mice to maintain a good physical condition and quality of life in the final stage of their lives.

The improvement of muscle function by GB

Muscle function decline is a significant and far-reaching feature in the aging process, which is directly related to the mobility, self-care ability and overall health status of the elderly. Research has found that GB can significantly improve the muscle function of aged mice, specifically manifested as increasing muscle strength, prolonging the time for rotating rods and hanging tests, and enhancing balance ability. These improvements are not only reflected in behavioral tests, but also confirmed at the histological and molecular biological levels. GB can improve the type transformation of muscle fibers, reduce lipid infiltration, collagen deposition and the number of central nucleus muscle fibers in muscles. All these changes are closely related to the decline of muscle function associated with aging. Mononuclear RNA sequencing analysis further revealed the mechanism of action of GB, which can improve the aging-related changes in cell type composition, signaling pathways and intercellular communication in skeletal muscle tissue, thereby essentially enhancing muscle function.

The regulation of metabolic health by GB

Metabolic health is one of the key factors for maintaining normal physiological functions of the body and delaying the aging process. Research has found that GB can improve the metabolic health of aged mice, specifically manifested as reducing body weight, decreasing overall fat mass, increasing lean body mass, and improving blood glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. These metabolic regulatory effects are crucial for maintaining the overall health status of aged mice. In addition, GB can reverse the changes in serum triglycerides and total cholesterol levels related to aging. This discovery further confirms the potential of GB in regulating metabolic health and provides new ideas for the prevention and treatment of aging-related metabolic diseases.

The inhibition of GB on inflammation and cellular senescence

Chronic low-grade inflammation (inflammatory senescence) and cellular senescence are important factors for aging-related diseases and functional decline. Research has found that GB can significantly reduce the inflammatory level in aged mice and decrease the number of senescent cells. In H2O2-induced senescent C2C12 muscle cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), GB also demonstrated significant anti-aging effects, including reducing cell size, enhancing proliferation ability, and lowering the levels of aging-related β -galactosylase (SA-β -GAL) and γ-H2AX. These results indicate that GB helps improve healthy lifespan by inhibiting inflammation and cellular aging, providing a new target for anti-aging treatment.

The mechanism of action of GB

Regulation of the Runx1 pathway

Studies have found that GB can inhibit the expression of Runx1 by up-regulating miR-27b-3p, thereby reducing the number of Runx1+ 2B type myonucleus induced by aging. Runx1 promotes aging and cell death in muscle cells, while GB alleviates the changes related to muscle aging by regulating the Runx1 pathway. This discovery provides important clues for understanding the anti-aging mechanism of GB.

Improvement of intercellular communication

Aging can disrupt the intercellular communication in the muscle ecosystem, and GB can partially restore this communication network. Through ligand-receptor interaction analysis, it was found that GB can improve the signal transduction between muscle cells and other cell types, thereby enhancing muscle function and overall health status. The discovery of this mechanism further reveals the important role of GB in maintaining the functions of tissues and organs.

Conclusion and Prospect

In conclusion, ginkgolide B (GB), as a natural compound, has shown significant potential in delaying aging and prolonging life. It works through multiple mechanisms such as improving muscle function, metabolic health, reducing inflammation and cellular aging. However, current research is mainly based on animal models, and further studies in humans are still needed in the future to verify the anti-aging effect and safety of GB. Furthermore, an in-depth exploration of the mechanism of action and potential targets of GB will help develop more effective anti-aging intervention measures and provide new strategies for addressing the health challenges brought about by population aging.

References: ChienWei Lee, Belle Yu,Hsuan Wang Shing Hei Wong,et al.Ginkgolide B increases healthspan and lifespan of female mice. Nature Aging, 2025 Feb; (2) : 237-258.