Vasseur et al. (9) found that the protective effects of EGb 761 against
alloxan-induced cytotoxicity were due to a free radical-scavenging effect of
flavonoids and an effect of bilobalide on glucose metabolism. Kim et al. (27)
demonstrated that flavonoids (quercetin, kaempferol, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin,
isoginkgetin) stimulated the proliferative activity and increased production of
collagen and extracellular fibronectin of human skin fibroblast in vitro, suggesting
the protective role of flavonoids against tissue injuries. Bilobalide was found
to protect against neuronal death in global brain ischemia and in glutamateinduced
excitotoxicity (28, 29).