Objective:To study the effects of ginkgolide on the development of NOS and AchE positive neurons in the embryonic basal forebrain. Methods:The rats were divided into Ginkgo, NGF, BDNF and control groups. The cell suspension of embryonic basal forebrain was prepared from E17-day old SD rats. Dissociated cells were plated into 96-well and two 24-well cultured plates which had DMEM medium containing ginkgolide, NGF, BDNF respectively. Eighteen days after culturing, MTT staining analysis was performed to test the vitality of the cultured neurons in the 96-well cultured plate. The cultured neurons in two 24-well plates were detected by using NADPH-d and AchE histochemical stains respectively. The numbers of NOS and AchE positive neurons were counted under microscope. The cell areas and circumferences of NOS and AchE positive neurons were analyzed with CMM-301 computer image system. The data were statistically treated with ANOVA and SNK test. Results:The optical density of MTT staining analysis, the number, size and circumference of NOS and AchE positive neurons of ginkgolided treated rats were higher than those of the rats of the control group and similar to those of the NGF and BDNF group. Conclusion:Ginkgolide has similar effects of the neurotrophins such as NGF and BDNF in promoting the development of NOS and AchE positive neurons in the embryonic basal forebrain.