Ginkgo biloba, also known as the maidenhair tree, is the most ancient and one of the longest surviving plants on earth. Individual trees can last up to 1,000 years and its medicinal use is recorded 5,000 years ago in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the leaf of the tree is used in herbal medicine.
Medicinal Properties of Ginkgo
Ginkgo contains two main groups of active constituents, 24% Ginkgo flavone glycosides and 6% terpene lactones. These compounds are powerful Antioxidants and reduce the stickiness of the platelets in the blood, increase circulation and keep blood vessels toned and pliable.
Ginkgo Herbal Remedies
Our herbalists recommend ginkgo for the following disorders:
Chilblains
Dementia (Alzheimer’s disease)
Deep venous thrombosis
Impotence (erectile dysfunction)
Multiple sclerosis
Stroke
Scleroderma (Raynauds)
Tension and Chronic Headaches
Tinnitus
Transient Ischaemic Attacks
Other Ginkgo Information
Ginkgo improves overall circulation, but is often used to improve blood flow to the brain and may help to improve short term memory loss and Depression in the elderly, and may be useful at delaying Alzheimer’s disease in the early stages of the illness. It is also of use in intermittent claudication, vertigo and the prevention of degenerative disease including macular degeneration.
Ginkgo is also often used by students and academics as a general tonic to boost memory and improve concentration. It is available as tablets, capsules and tinctures. Most ginkgo research has used standardised extract forms of the herb.
Side Effects of Ginkgo
Ginkgo is generally free of side effects, although some people have reported mild headaches or stomach upsets for the first day or two of use. These symptoms usually fade after this. Epileptics should consult a doctor before using ginkgo supplements.
Ginkgo thins the blood, so if you about to undergo surgery or if you are already using blood thinning medications such as warfarin, heparin, or aspirin, do not take ginkgo without first consulting with your doctor or pharmacist. The same applies if you are using the plate inhibiting drug, ticlopidine.
If you are a diabetic taking the blood sugar controlling drugs, glimepiride, glipizide, glyburide, metformin, repaglinide, do not use ginkgo unless advised by a doctor or pharmacist.
If you are using the anti-depressant drug, trazodone, please avoid ginkgo unless advised by a doctor or pharmacist.
When this article was written there were no other well-known negative drug interactions with the herb ginkgo.
Ginkgo has not been available for sale in Ireland for some time because of its potential interactions with drug-based medications.
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