Appearing before the dinosaurs and surviving all climate changes and even nuclear bombs, Gingko biloba (ginkgo from the Chinese words ‘yin’ meaning ‘silver’ and ‘kuo’ meaning ‘fruit’ and biloba describing the characteristic shape of its leaves with two lobes) has had many medical applications for almost 6 thousand years.

Its effectiveness is due to the flavonol glycosides and terpene lactones that it contains.

Flavonol glycosides inhibit blood coagulation factors and stimulate the circulation, which improves blood flow and capillary and venous circulation as well as varicose veins, hemorrhoids and heavy legs. They also inhibit free radicals.

Gingkgolides and bilobalides (terpene lactones) improve cerebral glucose metabolism and are therefore beneficial in the treatment of memory problems, senility and skin disorders.
Taking gingko biloba in the early stages of Alzheimer’s slows down the progression of the disease. It also significantly improves cognitive function in the over 50s. Chinese medicine also makes a remedy for the lungs from gingko biloba leaf extract that is effective in the treatment of asthma.

Several extracts on the market are only pale imitations of those used in trials (EGb 761 and Li 1370): they are generally standardised in terms of glucoflavonoid content, but not in terms of terpene lactones content. Moreover, capsules or tablets containing only dried leaves, tinctures and non-standardised extracts cannot provide the same treatment doses as these extracts. Source: passeportsanté.