Archeologists tell us that the ginkgo tree is the oldest living species of tree on the entire earth, going back more than 225 million years. Medicinally, the use of ginkgo almost certainly goes back millennia, too. Today, extracts made from this living fossil are among the most popular herbal medicines in the world.
In the U.S., extracts of ginkgo biloba are used primarily as an alternative treatment for Alzheimer's disease but in Germany, where ginkgo is on the Commission E's list of approved phytomedicines, ginkgo extracts are also used for tinnitus, vertigo and poor leg circulation.
Someday, ginkgo biloba may also be used for altitude sickness, cochlear deafness or as a protective agent against hypoxia. There is also some evidence that ginkgo biloba may undo some of the sexual dysfunction caused by antidepressants.
Could an extract made from ginkgo biloba help you? Only your doctor can give you medical advice but Germany's Commission E recommends that patients interested in using ginkgo biloba take 120 to 140 mg of standardized extract per day.
Before embarking on a regimen of ginkgo biloba, though, it's important to disclose your use of this supplement to your physician and pharmacist. Ginkgo biloba may affect the way your body uses MAO-inhibitors, anticoagulants, diuretics and anticonvulsants.
Like most herbs, ginkgo biloba hasn't been exhaustively studied for long-term use and its use during pregnancy and lactation hasn't been proven completely safe.
References:
American Botanical Council. (2003). The ABC Clinical Guide to Herbs.
Blumenthal, M., et al. (2000). Herbal Medicine Expanded Commission E Monographs.
