EGb 761 inhibits stress-induced polydipsia in rats.

The effect of daily treatments with Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761, IPSEN, France) on body weight and water intake of rats was followed for 15 days. During this period, two groups of rats, under slight ether anesthesia, were intubated and fed either EGb 761 (100 mg/kg b.wt. in 5% ethanol) or, for sham controls, 5% ethanol alone (6.6 ml/kg b.wt.). The increase in body weight was similar for the control and experimental groups. However, during the same period of time, the water intake, ml water/g b.wt./24 h, increased 37% in the controls. In EGb 761-treated rats, water intake remained unchanged. This suggests that EGb 761 treatment inhibits the development of polydipsia due to the stress of daily handling and intubation.