Ginkgo Biloba

The Natural Connection

Legend has it that the ginkgo biloba tree, the oldest living tree species on the planet, was saved from extinction after the Ice Age by ancient Chinese monks who used it for temple plantings. Ten million ancestors of those prehistoric trees can be found growing on the largest ginkgo plantation in the world in Sumter, South Carolina.

Individual gingko trees can sometimes live over 1,000 years. It is fitting that this “living fossil”, as it is often called, may hold secrets to helping improve our longevity as well.

Although the gingko fruit and nut have been used for food and medicine for centuries, use of the gingko leaf for herbal medicine is a relatively recent phenomenon. German scientists became interested in ginkgo’s ability to increase circulation, particularly to the brain in the 1950’s.

The German government approves gingko for the treatment of organic brain syndrome manifested by “memory deficits, disturbances in concentration, depressive emotional conditions, dizziness, and headache”. Gingko biloba is now the most frequently prescribed herbal medicine in Germany and France, where millions of middle aged Europeans gobble gingko in hopes of preventing a decline in mental function.

Standardized gingko biloba extract (GBE) from the leaves has been the focus of over 400 published studies in the scientific literature, making gingko one of the best researched of all herbal medicines. The results are quite interesting.

GBE does appear to improve circulation and to increase blood flow to the brain. It strengthens the vascular system and inhibits platelet aggregation or stickiness, which helps prevent the cascade of events that leads to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), coronary disease, and strokes.

Ginkgo extracts have been shown to help slow the mental decline of patients with early Alzheimer’s disease that equals a delay in the disease symptoms of about six months. Ginko improves memory function in certain subsets of patients, especially in those over age 50.

Patients with peripheral vascular disease, or circulation problems in the legs, often have increased walking tolerance while on gingko. Gingko seems to make the membranes of the red blood cells more elastic, allowing them to squeeze more easily through small arteries.

Dizziness and vertigo, as well as tinnitus (ringing in the ears) can also improve on gingko when the problem is due to impairments in circulation in the small blood vessels to those areas. There is evidence that gingko can reduce certain symptoms of PMS, including fluid retention and breast tenderness.

The dose of gingko usually recommended for patients trying to improve circulation problems or mental function is 40 mg three times a day. Patients with severe conditions may require twice that amount. It can often take up to six months to see significant results. Because of the manufacturing difficulty in concentrating sufficient active ingredient from the leaves, it is important to use standardized extracts of this herb. An extract containing 24% gingko flavone glycosides is a common formulation.

Gingko works in some ways similar to prescription anticoagulation medication, and it is thought to enhance the effects of drugs such as Coumadin or warfarin. A few patients on these medications who also started taking ginkgo have been reported to suffer intracranial hemorrhages shortly after beginning the gingko, and it is considered unwise to mix the herb with these drugs.

Other vitamin and herbal anti-platelet supplements, such as garlic and Vitamin E can also increase the effects of gingko. Therefore it is important to discuss the use of this herb with your physician, especially if you are taking prescription medications or other herbal supplements. There are no data on the safety of gingko in pregnancy, and it is not recommended for use in children or infants.

To receive a Patient Information Sheet on ginkgo biloba, write to:

The Natural Connection, c/o Dr. Pauline Bellecci, PO Box 777, Waycross, GA 31502. Please visit Dr. Bellecci's practice website at www.swampdocs.com.

11/6/00