Abstract: Ginkgo biloba extract was one of the most commonly used traditional Chinese medicine extracts,which had a wide range of pharmacological effects.Its main active ingredients include ginkgo biloba,ginkgolide,and bilobalide.Early studies have found that ginkgo biloba extract has a protective effect to central nervous system and can significantly improve the cognitive dysfunction caused by disease,including alzheimer's,vascular dementia and diabetic encephalopathy.In this paper,the probable molecular mechanisms of ginkgo biloba extract and its active components on signaling pathways,apoptosis-related proteins and antioxidation to improve cognitive function and its protective effect on nerve cells in vitro were reviewed.

Key words: Ginkgo bilobaextract, nerve protection, cognitive function, active components