What is Ginkgo Biloba? What is Ginkgo Biloba Extract or GBE?

Ginkgo Biloba Benefits:More Key Actions and notable functions in brief,Other Uses of Ginkgo biloba.

Ginkgo extract.Ginkgo Biloba extract.CAS.NO.090045-36-6.Ginkgo Biloba Leaf extract.24/6,Flavone 24% Lactone 6%HPLC.Extract of maidenhair tree; Ginkgo extract; Ginkgo biloba, ext photo picture image Ginkgo Biloba,Ginkgo Biloba Extract Benefits:

Over the past 30 years, more than 300 studies have show Ginkgo Biloba to provide a host of benefits for the body. Not only does Ginkgo Biloba help improve mental functioning as mentioned above, it also has a long list of other benefits:
Ginkgo,Ginkgo Biloba Extract works by increasing blood flow to the brain and throughout the body's network of blood vessels that supply blood and oxygen to the organ systems.
Ginkgo Biloba Extract increases metabolism efficiency, regulates neurotransmitters, and boosts oxygen levels in the brain which uses 20% of the body's oxygen.
Ginkgo,Ginkgo Biloba Extract may also help control the transformation of cholesterol to plaque associated with the hardening of arteries, and can relax constricted blood vessels.
Ginkgo Biloba Extract Benefits of enhanced circulation in the brain include improved short and long term memory, increased reaction time and improved mental clarity.
Ginkgo,Ginkgo Biloba Extract has been shown to be a supportive herb for treating infertility in males or impotence
Ginkgo Biloba,Ginkgo Biloba Extract also helps prevent damage to your organs from free radicals, and also blocks the platelet activating factor which causes some skin disorders such as psoriasis.
Ginkgo Biloba's beneficial effects on the circulatory system also helps in the treatment of eye and ear disorders.
These listed above are just some of the major benefits of Gingko Biloba.Ginkgo Biloba Extract, for more, please read on:
Ginkgo extract.Ginkgo Biloba extract.CAS.NO.090045-36-6.Ginkgo Biloba Leaf extract.24/6,Flavone 24% Lactone 6%HPLC.Extract of maidenhair tree; Ginkgo extract; Ginkgo biloba, ext photo picture image

More Key Actions and notable functions in brief:

Brain Function:

In order for the brain to function properly, it needs to be bathed in a constant supply of oxygen and nutrient rich blood. Any malfunction that interrupts the blood flow can have a profound effect on mental function. If allowed to occur chronically over many years due to atherosclerosis, the result is often the familiar loss of cognitive function and dementia, including memory lapses, loss of concentration, decreased intellectual ability, impaired vision, anxiety, loss of equilibrium and dizziness. Impaired blood flow can also be an underlying factor of headaches, depression, confusion and , in the most severe cases, stroke. The special bioflavonoids in Ginkgo have a stronger biological activity than most other bioflavonoids and seem to have a specific affinity for the capillary beds of the brain. Their function includes: Dilation of blood vessels resulting in improved flow of blood to and from tissues all over the body, especially the brain. Increasing the oxygen content of the blood. It has been shown that oxygen-rich blood enhances the memory. Improved cellular transmission. All neural functions of the brain are achieved by neural transmitters. These are the chemi-cals that allow one neural unit to communicate with another. The better the neural transmission, the more effectively memory and other brain functions work. Ginkgo biloba both increases the amount of neural transmission and increases the number of receptor sites for neural transmission. Again, this dramatically improves brain function.

Improved cognitive function:

In a random, double blind, placebo controlled German study conducted in the mid 1980s, 40 people (aged 60-80 years) diagnosed with slight to moderate dementia received either Ginkgo biloba extract or a placebo for three months. By week four, the group taking Ginkgo biloba extract was performing significantly better than the placebo control on standard clinical geriatric tests. They also showed marked improvement in their mental capacity, alertness, sociability and mood and continued to improve as the study progressed. The placebo group did not change at all over the 12 weeks of the study.

Inhibiting Platelet Activating Factor:

(PAF) A common trend in heart disease, strokes and peripheral vascular disease (e.g., intermittent claudication or painful walking), is the formation of blood clots (thrombosis) within the circulatory system. Underlying these clots is an excess of platelet activating factors (PAFs), which induce platelet aggregation, neutrophil degranulation and oxygen free radical production. As a result, excess PAFs are at least partly responsible for thrombosis, bronchoconstriction (as occurs in asthma), shock reaction (cardiogenic and anaphylactic) and organ transplant rejection. PAFs can be stimulated by chronic stress, a diet high in processed hydrogenated fats and exposure to allergens. Numerous studies have confirmed that Ginkgo biloba extract is an extremely effective agent for inhibiting PAFs.

Blocking Asthma Attacks:

Inhibiting PAFs with Ginkgo biloba extract may help some patients with asthma. Some studies have shown that PAFs play an important role in causing airway inflammation. Chinese physicians have known about the beneficial effects of Ginkgo biloba for asthma patients for thousands of years. In a preliminary trial conducted in Belgium, six out of ten children with severe asthma were found to improve "dramatically" within the first three to four days of taking Ginkgo biloba extract. Three other children improved "very substantially", but still occasionally required other therapy.

Special Note:
While studies show Ginkgo biloba extract may be effective in preventing some asthma attacks, it is probably not effective for treating an acute attack. As with any medical condition, one should consult with a health care professional for immediate relief.

Improved cerebral metabolism:

Treatments with Ginkgo biloba extract have been shown to result in improved cerebral metabolism and a reduced risk of hypoxic damage to the brain.10 In a 12 week study, 24 patients hospitalized with a form of dementia due to occluded cerebral arteries were treated with Ginkgo biloba extract (120 mg/day) or a placebo. The patients treated with Ginkgo biloba extract were found to improve significantly on all measurements, including EEG finding, reaction time and concentration. Using the venous microembolic index (VMI), a measurement of platelet aggregation, the researchers found that platelet aggregration declined progressively in the treated patients from a high of 3.6 at baseline to 1.3 at week 12. There was no change in the VMI of the placebo group.

Fighting Free Radicals:

Bioflavonoids have long been considered great antioxidants, specifically for protecting the microcirculation in small blood vessels. Ginkgo is an extraordinary free radical scavenger that is particularly effective against the superoxide anion (-02 ), a dangerous free radical that has been directly or indirectly implicated in cell damage.Numerous studies have demonstrated that Ginkgo biloba extract is very effective in blocking lipid peroxidation, thus protecting cell membranes which are primarily composed of lipids.This is extremely important in brain cells which contain a higher content of lipids than any other cells in the body. Beyond brain cell protection, other clinical studies suggest a wide range of clinical benefits beyond its life enhancing antioxidants such as:

Radiation induced chromosomal damage protection.Because of its powerful effect, Ginkgo biloba extract was given to Chernobyl recovery workers. After two months, it was determined that it completely protected them from further chromosomal damage.

Ischemia induced spinal cord injury protection:

Ischemiainduced lipid peroxidation is one of the main factors that produces tissue damage in spinal cord injury. When Ginkgo biloba extract was given to rats subjected to experimental spinal cord injury, they were protected from the paraplegic effects of the injury to a significant degree.

Heart muscle ischemia and reperfusion injury protection:

Heart muscle is extremely sensitive to the lack of oxygen (ischemia) caused by heart attacks and blood vessel restrictions or clots. However, just as damaging is the sudden rush of restoration oxygen which can carry with it a rush of free-radicals, as occurs following coronary bypass surgery. Ginkgo biloba extract, because of its anti-oxidant activity, has shown its ability to protect heart tissue when exposed to these insults.

Protection against Retinal Damage.Eye problems:

Damaged, leaking or injured delicate retinal cells is a common cause of blindness in people with diabetes and other macular problems. Numerous studies have shown that Ginkgo biloba extract reduces the susceptibility of these cells to injury.
The flavonoids found in ginkgo may help halt or lessen some retinal problems (that is, problems to the back part of the eye). Retinal damage has a number of potential causes, including diabetes and macular degeneration. Macular degeneration (often called age-related macular degeneration or ARMD) is a progressive, degenerative eye disease that tends to affect older adults and is the number one cause of blindness in the United States. Studies suggest that gingko may help preserve vision in those with ARMD.

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease:

Ginkgo is widely used in Europe for treating dementia. The reason that ginkgo is thought to be helpful for preventing or treating these brain disorders is because it improves blood flow in the brain and because of its antioxidant properties. Although many of the clinical trials have been scientifically flawed, the evidence that ginkgo may improve thinking, learning, and memory in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been highly promising.
Clinical studies suggest that ginkgo provides the following benefits for people with AD:
Improvement in thinking, learning, and memory
Improvement in activities of daily living
Improvement in social behavior
Fewer feelings of depression
As more than 300 studies demonstrate, ginkgo facilitates better blood flow through out the body, most notably the brain, where it both protects and promotes memory and mental function, even for people with Alzheimer's disease. It also offers a wealth of possibilities in the treatment of many other common ailments.

Intermittent Claudication:

Because ginkgo.Ginkgo Biloba Extract is reputed to improve blood flow, this herb has been studied in people with intermittent claudication (pain caused by inadequate blood flow [atherosclerosis] to the legs). People with intermittent claudication have difficulty walking without suffering extreme pain. An analysis of eight published studies revealed that people taking ginkgo tend to walk roughly 34 meters farther than those taking placebo. In fact, ginkgo has been shown to be as effective as a leading medication in improving pain-free walking distance. However, regular walking exercises are more beneficial than ginkgo in improving walking distance.

Memory Impairment:

Ginkgo.Ginkgo Biloba Extract is widely touted as a "brain herb" and is commonly added to nutrition bars and fruit smoothies to boost memory and enhance cognitive performance. Researchers recently reviewed all of the high-quality published studies on ginkgo and mild memory impairment (in other words, people without Alzheimer's or other form of dementia), and concluded that ginkgo was significantly more effective than placebo in enhancing memory and cognitive function. Despite the encouraging findings, some researchers speculate that more high-quality research, involving larger numbers of people, is needed before ginkgo can be recommended as a memory enhancer to otherwise healthy adults.

Tinnitus:

Given that nerve damage and certain blood vessel disorders can lead to tinnitus (the perception of ringing, hissing, or other sound in the ears or head when no external sound is present), some researchers have investigated whether ginkgo relieves symptoms of this hearing disorder. Although the quality of most studies was poor, the reviewers concluded that ginkgo moderately relieves the loudness of the tinnitus sound. However, a recent well-designed study including 1,121 people with tinnitus found that ginkgo (given 3 times daily for 3 months) was no more effective than placebo in relieving symptoms of tinnitus. Given these conflicting findings, the therapeutic value of ginkgo for tinnitus remains uncertain. In general, tinnitus is a very difficult problem to treat. Talk to your doctor about whether a trial of ginkgo to alleviate this frustrating symptom may be safe and worthwhile for you.

Depression:

Patients suffering from varying degrees of vascular insufficiency also noted an improvement in mood while taking ginkgo biloba extract. This has prompted a surge of interest in its use as a treatment for depression, especially in the elderly. Many people have found GBE to enhance other depression treatments and to often even prevent the need for pharmaceutical treatments in mild cases of depression. Those under the age of fifty may also benefit from ginkgo biloba's antidepressant effects. So far though, the greatest level of improvement has been noted with older patients.

Antioxidant Properties:

Although oxygen is essential for life, it can have adverse effects on your body. Unstable oxygen molecules can often be created during our body's normal break down and use of oxygen or can form in response to external factors and pollutants. These unstable molecules, called free radicals, can damage cells and structures within cells. If the genetic material in cells is affected and not repaired, it can replicate in new cells, contributing to cancer and other health problems. These free radicals may also weaken artery walls, allowing fatty deposits that can lead to hear disease. As an antioxidant, ginkgo biloba combats free radicals and repairs molecular damage. A great deal of research suggests that antioxidants such as GBE may play important roles in preventing or delaying heart disease, cancer and other ills. Antioxidants may even halt the damage to cells, thereby slowing the effects of aging.

Impotency:

Another use for ginkgo biloba is in the treatment of impotency. The main cause of male impotence is poor circulation and impaired blood flow through the penis, which is often the result of atherosclerosis. Since ginkgo biloba increases blood flow, it's been found to help up to fifty percent of patients after six months of use.

Raynaud's disease:

Raynaud's disease is believed to be caused by blood vessels that over react to the cold and spasm, reducing blood flow and there by depriving extremities of oxygen. Ginkgo biloba may help this condition by widening the small blood vessels, which would keep these spasms from completely blocking the blood flow.

Parkinson's Disease:

The lack of dopamine is believed to produce the progressive stiffness, shaking and loss of muscle coordination typical in Parkinson's disease. Doctor's theorise that along with other treatments, Ginkgo biloba may help symptoms by increasing the brain's blood flow and there by allowing more of the depleted dopamine to be circulated to the areas that need it most.

Strokes:

Scientists continue to study the prevention and treatment benefits to stroke patients that are attributed to GBE. It's believed that by preventing blood clots from developing and increasing the blood flow to the brain, ginkgo biloba may help stop strokes from occurring. It's also believed that the herb inhibits free-radical damage of brain cells after a stroke.

Multiple sclerosis and Organ transplant:

GBE also appears to have an anti-inflammatory action that may make it valuable in the future for conditions such as multiple sclerosis and organ transplants.

Other Uses of Ginkgo biloba:

Although Ginkgo biloba is known as one of the most important herbs for the brain, its action and benefits are not exclusively for the brain. Other uses for which ginkgo biloba extract is often recommended include depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, allergies, vertigo, short-term memory loss, headache, atherosclerosis, tinnitus, cochlear deafness, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, and PMS.
The ginkgosides it contains work as an herbal antioxidant throughout the entire body.
The microcirculation of all capillary beds throughout the body will be enhanced.
Ginkgo.Ginkgo Biloba Extract can help all organs that have a rich blood supply including the heart, liver, kidneys, lungs and spleen.
Ginkgo.Ginkgo Biloba Extract has been clinically shown to provide appropriate benefit for such conditions as ringing in the ear (tinnitus), headaches, vertigo (dizziness), hearing loss, depression, allergies, atherosclerosis, cardiac arrhythmia, diabetic peripheral vascular disease, eczema, glaucoma, impotency, retinitis and neuralgia, as well as the initial stages of Alzheimer's disease.

Indicated for: Acrocyanosis, allergies, Alzheimer's and Mental Function, asthma, cerebral atherosclerosis and/or insufficiencies, cochlear deafness, cramp from walking, dementia, depression, diabetes related nerve damage and poor circulation, diabetic retinopathy, erectile function, headaches, impotency, improving circulation to the brain in the elderly, improving deafness, improving long-distance vision and possibly reversing damage to the retina, intermittent claudication, leg ulcers, macular degeneration, menopause, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's Disease, peripheral and cerebral circulatory stimulation, peripheral vascular disease, PMS, poor circulation, Raynaud's disease, senile dementia, short-term memory loss, sinusitis, strengthening memory, strokes, tender or painful breasts, thrombosis, tinnitus, varicose veins, vertigo, white finger and spontaneous bruising.

Reference:

1.What is Ginkgo Biloba? What is Ginkgo Biloba Extract or GBE?

last edit date:3rd,Feb.2010.

Available Product

Name:Ginkgo Biloba Extract
Serie No:S-011.
Specifications:flavone glycosides24%,terpene lactones6%HPLC.
INCI Name:GINKGO BILOBA EXTRACT
EINECS/ELINCS No.:289-896-4
CAS:090045-36-6
Chem/IUPAC Name:Ginkgo Biloba Extract is a plant material obtained from the leaves of the maidenhair tree,Ginkgo biloba,Ginkgoaceae

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