Ginkgo Biloba
Chinese herbal medicine use ginkgo seeds to relieve wheezing and to lessen phlegm. They also use the seeds to treat vaginal discharge, a weak bladder, and incontinence. The leaves are traditionally used to treat asthma. Ginkgo Biloba extract is often recommended for depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, allergies, vertigo, short-term memory loss, headache, atherosclerosis, tinnitus, macular degeneration, and PMS. Ginkgo is also known to fight against age-related disease in two ways. The elements in ginkgo act as antioxidants in the body and fight against cell damage that causes the body to break down with age. It acts as protection in a variety of illnesses associated with aging, including: macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Herbalists may also recommend ginkgo for a variety of other ailments including: altitude sickness, asthma, depression, disorientation, headaches, high blood pressure, and erectile dysfunction. Ginkgo is widely touted as a brain herb, and is commonly added to nutrition bars and fruit smoothies to boost memory and enhance cognitive performance.
Ginkgo is available as ginkgo leaf, ginkgo leaf extract, and ginkgo seed, and the typical dose is 240 milligrams of standardized ginkgo leaf extract daily. Ginkgo is also widely available in teas and foods.
People taking blood-thinning medications should avoid this herb, as it can increase the effects of this medication. Some people have also reported minor side effects, such as nausea and diarrhea, but these normally subside when the dosage is reduced or when use of the herb is discontinued.
The ginkgo tree comes from the ginkgoaceae family. It grows to a hundred feet or more, with a trunk up to eight feet in diameter. Its bark is gray and fissured. The leaves are fan-shaped and divided into two lobes. During the autumn, the leaves turn bright yellow. The gingko tree produces fruit which has a strong, unpleasant odor and is inedible.
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August 8th, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Sounds like a miracle drug, and then some…
August 10th, 2007 at 2:30 am
One herbal medicine for a bunch of ailments. Must be heaven sent!
August 13th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
When I was growing up my family had a ginkgo tree in our backyard. Every year it dropped these round “fruits” all over our yard and it smelled horrible. I’ve always wondered if this is the same ginkgo tree.