Scientific Name

Ginkgo biloba. Family: Ginkgoaceae.
Also known as: Abricot Argenté Japonais, Adiantifolia, Arbe aux Écus, Arbe aux Quarante Écus, Arbe du Ciel, Arbre Fossile, Bai Guo Ye, Baiguo, Extrait de Feuille de Ginkgo, Extrait de Ginkgo, Fossil Tree, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf, Ginkgo Folium, Graine de Ginkgo, Herba Ginkgo Biloba, Japanese Silver Apricot, Kew Tree, Maidenhair Tree, Noyer du Japon, Pei Go Su Ye, Salisburia Adiantifolia, Yen Xing, Yinhsing.

Background

Ginkgo biloba is a large tree with fan-shaped leaves that have radiating veins. It is native to temperate Asia, including China, Japan, and Korea, but is now cultivated in Europe and the United States. It is the last remaining species of a primitive family of gymnosperms called Ginkgoaceae.

Phytochemicals

Extracts of ginkgo leaves contain phenolic acids, proanthocyanidins, flavonoid glycosides, such as myricetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and quercetin, and the terpene trilactones, ginkgolides and bilobalides. The leaves also contain unique ginkgo biflavones, as well as alkylphenols and polyprenols.

Key Highlights

• Some evidence for use in anxiety, dementia, premenstrual syndrome (PMS), schizophrenia, tardive dyskinesia, and vertigo. Commonly used for cognitive function, but there is no strong evidence to support this use in adults or elderly patients.
• Likely safe when standardized ginkgo leaf extract is used orally. Side effects may include mild stomach upset, headache, dizziness, palpitations, constipation, or allergic reactions. The safety of ginkgo when used topically is unclear. Side effects may include severe allergic reactions and mucous membrane irritation in some patients. Ginkgo seed and crude ginkgo plant may cause serious adverse effects when used orally; avoid using.
• Ginkgo may interact with P-glycoprotein substrates or anticoagulant/antiplatelet drugs when used for more than 2 weeks.
• Commonly adulterated with ingredients that may reduce effectiveness.
• Ginkgo is one of the most popular dietary supplements with a large consumer demand. Substandard ginkgo extracts are commonly adulterated via addition of rutin and quercetin from cheaper sources. Addition of rutin and quercetin makes poor quality ginkgo extracts seem satisfactory to buyers and regulatory authorities. Not all tests can detect poor quality and adulterated ginkgo supplements.

Pharmacology:

Classifications

Antiplatelet Agents, Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) Inhibitors, Cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) Inducers, Cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) Inhibitors, Cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) Inhibitors, Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) Inducers, Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), P-Glycoprotein Inhibitors, Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors, Sedative-Hypnotic Agents, Vasodilators, Energy Boosters

People Use This For

• Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease and vascular and mixed dementia.
• Cerebral vascular insufficiency, especially in the elderly, including memory loss, headache, tinnitus, vertigo, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, mood disturbances, and hearing disorders.
• Ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), arteriosclerosis, angina pectoris, and cardiac reperfusion injury.
• Cognitive dysfunction related to chemotherapy or Lyme disease, as well as sexual dysfunction, including that caused by SSRI antidepressants.
• Depression and cognitive disorders secondary to depression; improvement of cognitive behavior and sleep patterns in patients with depression, prevention of winter depression.
• Eye problems, including macular degeneration and glaucoma; diabetic retinopathy
• Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); autism spectrum disorder;
• Thrombosis; heart disease, hypercholesterolemia; controlling blood pressure, and treating Raynaud syndrome.
• Premenstrual syndrome (PMS); dysentery and filariasis.
• Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), schizophrenia.
• Preventing acute mountain sickness and aging,
• regulating gastric acidity, improving liver and gallbladder function.
• Asthma, allergies, bronchitis, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
• Genitourinary complaints, to aid digestion, and to prevent drunkenness.
• Topically, used to wash chilblains, which are lesions on the fingers, toes, heels, ears, and nose caused by exposure to extreme cold. used topically in wound dressings to improve circulation in the skin.
• Ginkgo seed is used topically for scabies and skin sores.
• Intravenously, used to increase cerebral blood flow, improve cognition, for psychiatric conditions in the elderly, and for metastatic colorectal cancer.