Ginkgo biloba

Abstract

Ginkgo biloba is considered to be a sacred tree by the Chinese, owing to the medicinal properties of the tree's leaves and roots, and for its persistance on the Earth for more than two hundred million years. Among these effects the most relevant ones are: increase of blood flow, memory and cognition enhancement, stress alleviation and gene regulation. According to the German Comission E Monographs the standardized Ginkgo biloba extract (EGb 761) is composed of two major therapeutic components: flavonoids (24%) and terpenoids (6%), being the terpenoids subdivided into bilobalides and ginkgolides. Several studies have been accomplished demonstrating the effectiveness of the Ginkgo biloba extract. The present study emphasizes its pro-mnemonic and pro-cognitive actions. These two actions are more evident on patients who have neurodegenerative disorders, as on Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, as well as on the elderly. Although inferiorly, it is also clear that Ginkgo biloba increases both memory and cognition on assymptomatics.