The effects of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (GBE), one of the most widely used herbal dietary supplements in Japan and the United States, on the pharmacokinetics of nifedipine (NFP), a typical probe of P450 (CYP) 3A, but not a substrate of the multidrug transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp), were studied using rats. Simultaneous oral treatment with GBE (20 mg/kg) did not affect the pharmacokinetics after intravenous administration of NFP (2.5 mg/kg). However, the maximal plasma NFP concentration, the area under the concentration-time curve and absolute bioavailability after oral administration of NFP (5 mg/kg) were significantly increased by simultaneous oral treatment with GBE, approximately 1.6-fold, 1.6-fold and 2.1-fold, respectively. These results suggest that the concomitant oral use of GBE appeared to reduce the first-pass metabolism of orally administered NFP, by inhibiting CYP3A, possibly but not P-gp, in rats.