AIM:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Ginkgo biloba extract(GBE)for the patients with mild or moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR).

METHODS: Randomized controlled study. A total of 80 patients(150 eyes)with mild or moderate NPDR were divided into two groups: the control group(39 patients with 72 eyes)and the treatment group(41 patients with 78 eyes). Patients in the control group were given 100mg enteric-coated aspirin tablets, orally, once per day. Based on the above treatment, the treated group was added with GBT 2mL, orally, three times per day. Patients were followed up for 6mo, and the overall curative effect, visual acuity, visual field mean defect, the result of fundus fluorescein angiography, serum lipid levels, platelet aggregation rate and platelet adhesion rate were measured and evaluated.

RESULTS: After treatments, the total effective rate in the treatment group was 75.6% and significantly higher than that(58.7%)in the control group(Z=2.6002, P=0.0047). Compared with the control group, the treatment group was found to have higher visual acuity and less visual field mean defect significantly(t=-2.01,P=0.0477; t=4.06,P=0.0001); the numbers of retinal micro-aneurysms and areas of retinal hemorrhage significantly decreased(t=7.86,P<0.01; t=3.13,P=0.0024); the serum total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol in treatment group significantly decreased, the high-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased(t=2.25,P=0.0270; t=3.41,P=0.0010; t=3.34,P=0.0013; t=3.76,P=0.0003; t=-3.30,P=0.0014); platelet aggregation rate and platelet adhesion rate were significantly lower(t=4.31,P<0.01; t=4.93,P<0.01).

CONCLUSION: The results show that GBT for treatment of mild and moderate NPDR has a definite effect.