Ginkgo as an Herb

(Ginkgo biloba)

The living fossil tree, grandmother ginkgo biloba, is the oldest living tree on the planet. It's been used safely for over 3000 years and was nearly wiped out during the Ice Age everywhere except in China.

Ginkgo products come from the leaves of the only surviving member of the ginkgo family, a living fossil more than 200 million years old. Most commercial leaf production is from plantations in South Carolina, France, and China.

Medicinal Uses for Ginkgo

Ginkgo leaf is a relatively new herbal medicine, used in China only since the fifteenth century. The leaves were traditionally used for "benefiting the brain", treatment of lung disorders, relief of cough and asthma symptoms, and diarrhea. The leaf tea was applied externally to treat sores of the skin and remove freckles.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, dating back to the 15th century, ginkgo was used for lung cough, asthma and diarrhea, and the leaf was used externally for sores, freckles, and perhaps as an antibacterial agent. In present day France and Germany ginkgo is the most frequently prescribed medicine, having appeared in over 400 scientific studies since the 1950's.

Ginkgo leaf extracts are among the most popular selling herbal medicines in Europe. Most research has focused on the use of the complex extracts to increase circulation to the extremities as well as the brain, especially in the elderly.

Ginkgo extract has also been studied for the treatment male impotence, degenerative nerve conditions such as multiple sclerosis, and other diseases. It has shown potential to relieve difficulties with short-term memory, attention span, and mood in early stages of Alzheimer's disease by improving oxygen metabolism in the brain.

Ginkgo can also be helpful against tinnitus and vertigo, where impaired blood circulation can cause dizziness or ringing in the ears. Most often you will find ginkgo in combination with other circulatory herbs such as gotu kola.

Culinary

Making a tea or taking a tincture is the least expensive way to use ginkgo and it will be affective over a period of time. For those who prefer tested quality and potency, use a standardized extract.

Cautions

Some individuals have shown hypersensitivity to ginkgo leaf extracts including rare cases of gastrointestinal upset, headaches, or skin allergies. In such cases use of ginkgo should be discontinued. Rare side effects include gastrointestinal upset or a skin rash, and use caution if taking blood thinners. As with any medicine, consult a health care practitioner before using.

Can raise blood pressure in some individuals. Blood pressure should be monitored while using if susceptible to high blood pressure.

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DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Some plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals. Some plants used for illness in the past have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.