A Little History on Ginkgo How many of you know that the ginkgo tree is a living fossil? Yes, the trees that you see lining the sidewalks today are, in effect, the exact trees that shaded dinosaurs 200 million years ago. Ginkgo biloba is so ancient that it once grew extensively throughout the northern hemisphere during a time when the terrain bordering the Arctic Ocean was warm and mild. A long time ago, there were numerous kinds of ginkgo, but now it is a solitary species. In addition, it has the rare distinction of being the only type ,in the only genus, in the only lineage, in a single order of trees that have motile sperm. In other words, sperm that swim to the egg in the course of fertilization.

Ginkgo trees can survive for more than 1,000 years and have a highly thought of role in traditional Asian medicine. Roughly 5,000 years ago, the Chinese utilized ginkgo biloba leaves to prevent memory loss due to age, according to Georges Halpern, M.D., Ph.D., in his book, Ginkgo, A Practical Guide. The Chinese also smoldered the leaves and inhaled the smoke to address respiratory ailments.

Latest Research on Ginkgo

What is more interesting and important to know about ginkgo biloba is what new research is telling us about its medicinal properties. The first article I read was a study in The Journal of the American Medical Association that recognized ginkgo’s assistance in decelerating the effects of old age on the brain, which is often referred to as senile dementia. Ginkgo functions by improving circulation, both in the brain and in the body’s farthest points, such as hands, feet, and genitalia—which is why some California based studies have even assigned an aphrodisiac effect to ginkgo extract.

A very interesting read was about ginkgo in regard to the nuclear accident in 1986 at Chernobyl in the Ukraine. After the damaged reactor was shut down, the majority of the workers in the plant were found to have increased levels of free radicals in their blood, putting them in jeopardy for chromosomal damage and cancer. Nine years later, a French study was published reporting that these same workers were given 40 milligrams of ginkgo extract three times a day for eight weeks. The result of this was that the levels of free radicals had descended to normal—and remained low for seven months without additional treatment.

We even found ginkgo biloba extract surfacing in various cellulite treatments, so we investigated that. What we discovered was that ginkgo’s ability to reduce swelling and improve blood flow through the capillaries made it a good candidate for select cellulite therapies. In addition, because ginkgo biloba is able to augment blood flow to the capillaries and increase skin temperature, it possesses potential for perking up tired, sagging, and aging skin.

Of particular interest was in regards to ginkgo’s benefits on macular degeneration. This affliction happens to be the leading cause of legal blindness in the United States for our aging seniors. Ginkgo’s assets in improving vision come from an ability to fight damage generated by free radicals in sensitive tissues of the retina. Besides the above, ginkgo biloba also improves blood flow in the eye, where the retina requires a steady supply of glucose and oxygen.

How many of you have experienced a constant ringing, buzzing, or whistling sound in your ears? This is referred to as tinnitus. Instead of reacting to an outside stimulus, the acoustic nerve is set off by an internal stimulant. Considered to be a result of poor circulation in the brain, tinnitus can be alleviated by using a good ginkgo extract. While ginkgo’s benefits are far reaching indeed, its most notorious use is that of enhancing all aspects of cognitive function. In fact, there are dozens of affirmative clinical studies that have been published in scientific literature utilizing ginkgo to address cognitive disorders. Out of thirty-four clinical trials on ginkgo, all but two confirmed positive benefits for memory and other mental function, as well as for peripheral arterial occlusive disease (leg muscle pain while walking). Other possible advantages suggested by numerous clinical studies include improved performance of hikers, who are susceptible to a lack of oxygen in high altitudes, and for male and female sexual dysfunction.

The United States has only begun to earnestly study ginkgo in the past few decades, and our uses for ginkgo are frequently different from what Traditional Chinese medicine used it for. Even so, it has been one of the 10 best-selling herbs for more than five years in a row. The majority of the recent medical research has been completed in Germany utilizing highly concentrated ginkgo leaf extracts in order to improve peripheral circulation and to thin the blood. In Europe, a concentrated extract of the leaves is the top selling pharmaceutical and is taken on a regular basis by countless seniors to help keep their mental acuity in tip top shape.

The German Commission E Opinion on Ginkgo

It might interest you to know that the Commission E, Germany’s government appointed staff of physicians, pharmacologists, and other experts who evaluate herbal medicines for safety and effectiveness, summarized in regard to ginkgo biloba:

• Amplifies the body’s tolerance to lack of oxygen, particularly in brain tissue
  
• Reduces swelling (edema) in the brain generated by trauma or toxins
  
• Hampers swelling and lesions in the retina
  
• Slows down age-related decline of choline receptors and promotes choline uptake in the brain
  
• Augments memory and learning capacity
  
• Assists with balance
  
• Increase blood flow, especially in the capillaries
  
• Scavenges free radicals
  
• Guards the nerves
  
• Hinders the platelet activating factor, a mediator of chemical processes within the body, including platelet aggregation, blood clotting, and allergic reactions.

What Makes Ginkgo Extract Work?

Ginkgo leaf extract is a multifaceted mix containing compounds with numerous active components: flavone glycosides (flavonoids with attached sugar molecules unique to ginkgo), terpenes, and organic acids. Flavonoids are a group of substances familiar to the plant kingdom, taking place as pigments in flowers and fruits. Flavonoids have an extensive range of biochemical tasks, including antioxidants, free radical scavengers, enzyme inhibitors, enzyme inducers and more. Flavonoids are recognized for increasing vitamin C efficiency, boosting the strength of capillary walls, and enhancing microcirculation. The ever important flavonoids in ginkgo biloba are called quercitin, kaempferol and isorhamnetine.

References

(1) History - http://www.lef.org/magazine/mag2000/may00-report_a.html

(2) Memory-(Rigney et al., 1999)

(3)Chernobyl- (Alaoui-Youssefi et al., 1999)

(4) Macular Degeneration - Lebuisson DA, Leroy L. and Rigal G. Treatment of Senile Macular Degeneration with Ginkgo Biloba La Presse Medicale. 15:15561558, 1986

(5) Tinnitus - Meyer B. A Multicentre, Randomized, Double-Blind Drug versus Placebo Study of Ginkgo Biloba Extract in the Treatment of Tinnitus. La Presse Medicale.15:15621564,1986

(6) Cognitive Function- Solomon PR, Adams F, Silver A, Zimmer J, DeVeaux R. Ginkgo for memory enhancement: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA 2002;288(7):835-40

(7) Erectile Dysfunction - Sohn, M. and R. Sikora. 1991. Ginkgo biloba extract in the therapy of erectile dysfunction. J. Se Educ. Ther. 17:53-61.