Ginkgo

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The Natural Medicine Guide to the 50 Most Common Medicinal Herbs Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND See book keywords and concepts

A study with rats suggests that treatment with ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) reduced the extent of brain swelling in response to injury (bilateral frontal cortex lesions) and was associated with less impairment following the injury.152 In addition, it has been shown in rat experiments that EGb 761 treatment prior to electroconvulsive shock (ECS) treatment reduces the extent and duration of the remodelling of membrane phospholipids which traditionally results from seizures.

For example, one study found that aged rats (22-24 months old) treated with 100 mg/kg of ginkgo extract EGb 761 daily for three weeks had improved short-term memory measured by avoidance latency after adverse stimulus (p<.05); however, no significant effects were seen in young (3-month- old) or middle-aged (12-month-old) rats.

Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Good: black cohosh, gentian, ginkgo biloba, goldenseal, licorice, parsley, rose hip (herbal extract). Also, primrose oil. Good: beet green, carrot, celery, green pepper, kelp, sea vegetable, sprout. Good: cranberry, grapefruit, pineapple, prune. Insomnia Best: all leafy greens, watercress, kale. Good: alfalfa, beet green, cabbage, carrot, dandelion green, onion, pepper, reishi mushroom, sea vegetables, Swiss chard,turnip. Best: banana, lemon, peach, papaya, blueberry. Good: apple, apricot, cherry, grape, pineapple, prune.

The Garlic Cure James F. Scheer, Lynn Allison and Charlie Fox See book keywords and concepts

His granddaughter read a booklet about ginkgo that I gave her and she started giving him ginkgo Biloba Plus three times a day. Within three months, there was a marked improvement in his behavior and alertness, and he seldom hallucinates now. Yours truly, V.G., Atlanta HEARING IMPAIRMENT My 10 year old son is deaf in his left ear and has fluctuating hearing in his right - mostly bad. I started him on one tablet of Kyolic daily, and now his hearing is 75 to 100 percent better. I am truly pleased. So please send me a catalog and price list of your available products. S.R.

The Complete Book of Alternative Nutrition Selene Y. Craig, Jennifer Haigh, Sari Harrar and the Editors of PREVENTION Magazine Health Books See book keywords and concepts

By fighting PAF, ginkgo helps keep the blood pumping through your gray matter. "I use it all the time for older people, and I've seen some significant improvements in many of them," says Dr. Janson. "However, it doesn't work for everybody and should not be considered a miracle cure, although there is scientific documentation for its value," he says. Fanning Away Stress In one small animal study, researchers found that ginkgo also seems to be able to counteract the decreased mental capacity that comes with stress.

Supplementation with ginkgo is generally safe, according to Dr. Haas, although some people have reported experiencing restlessness or digestive upset while taking the herb. Also, since ginkgo affects blood clotting (because it suppresses PAF), be sure to check with your doctor if you're currently taking aspirin or another anti-clotting drug or if you have a clotting disorder. **t*& t\t ln0Sit0' % ^ V V Sandwiched somewhere between «AC^\k&^* choline and riboflavin, you'll find inos-Xi gA V1 itol on the ingredient label of many multi- -ftt^ Cyt^ vitamin supplements.

The Clinician's Handbook of Natural Healing Gary Null, Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

This article comments on the fact that ginkgo biloba extract appears to uniformly improve the ultrastructural qualities of vestibular sensorial epithelia when fixed by vascular perfusions. The author suggests that such improvements may be consequential to the effects of the extract on capillary permeability and general microcirculation. —J. Raymond, [Effects of ginkgo Biloba Extract on the Morphological Preservation of Vestibular Sensory Epithelia in Mice], Presse Med, 15(31), September 25, 1986, p. 1484-1487.

The Way of Chinese Herbs Michael Tierra, L.Ac, O.M.D. See book keywords and concepts

Ginkgo is also able to increase acetylcholine levels, which improves the body's ability to transmit electrical impulses. The ancient doctrine of signatures taught that what a thing resembles may be an indication of its use. We have scientifically corroborated the value of the ginkgo tree—as one of the oldest surviving species on the earth—in the treatment of conditions associated with aging and the promotion of human longevity.

The Natural Way to Heal: 65 Ways to Create Superior Health Walter Last See book keywords and concepts

Before breakfast have strong coffee and tyrosine; with breakfast have bee pollen, spirulina or chlorella, ground linseed, sprouted broad beans, ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and other stimulating measures; reintroduce levodopa drugs as late as possible in the day. If levodopa has become ineffective, have a "drug holiday"—stop using it for one or more weeks. Try breathing additional oxygen during this time (e.g., from an oxygen concentrator); however, additional oxygen is harmful while you're on levodopa. See the Love Cure (step 61) and learn to meditate and energize the brain.

Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

You should not take ginkgo if you are taking blood-thinning medication or if you have a clotting disorder. St. John's wort is a natural blood purifier and has been found in laboratory studies to have antiviral activity that fights HIV and viruses in the herpes family, including the Epstein-Barr virus. It is also used as a treatment for mild to moderate depression; depressed mood can lower immunity. Ligustrum (known in Chinese herbology as nu zhen zi) increases the production of lymphocytes in the bone marrow as well as their maturation into T cells.

Growing evidence suggests that it is helpful for ordinary age-related memory loss, tinnitus (persistent ringing in the ears), balance disorders, impotence, and macular degeneration. ginkgo is available as an extract in liquid, tablet, and capsule forms. Green Tea Green tea leaves are rich in flavonoids and other compounds that may possess potent antioxidant properties. Recent studies lend merit to the already substantial evidence that the polyphenols in green tea have anticarcino-genic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Best: butcher's broom, ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, turmeric, Siberian ginseng (herbal extracts). Good: blessed thistle, cayenne, garlic, ginger, valerian root (herbal extracts). Also, borage oil, coenzyme Q10, N,N-Dimethylglycine (DMG), primrose oil. Arthritis Best: all leafy greens, celery root, kelp, watercress. Good: asparagus, barley grass, beet green, carrot, celery, cucumber, cabbage, green bean, kale, onion, wheatgrass, sea vegetables, sea cucumber. Good: apple, black cherry, lemon, papaya, pineapple. Good: grape, pear.

Breast Cancer? Breath Health! The Wise Woman Way Susun S. Weed See book keywords and concepts

It can be used regularly for years if desired. • ginkgo (Ginkgo bilobd] tincture-up to 100 drops daily-has been clinically shown to be extremely protective of liver function, non-interfering with chemotherapy, and an excellent antioxidant, adding further protection from chemotherapeutic damage.

Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Good: cat's claw, ginkgo biloba, gotu kola, parsley, Siberian ginseng, slippery elm (herbal extracts). Also, aloe vera juice, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), lecithin, selenium, zinc. Diabetes Best: all leafy greens, Brussels sprouts. No fruit juices. Good: asparagus, broccoli, celery, green bean, green pepper, kale, kohlrabi, spinach, turnip green. Best: dandelion root, garlic, huckleberry, parsley (herbal extracts). Good: buchu leaves, cat's claw, dandelion, ginger root, ginseng, juniper berry, licorice root, uva ursi (herbal extracts).

Bottom Line's Prescription Alternatives Earl L. Mindell, RPh, PhD with Virginia Hopkins, MA See book keywords and concepts

John's wort (Hypericum) to help control anxiety, 300 mg three times daily. • ginkgo biloba in a standardized extract, 60 mg one to three times daily. • MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) is a form of organic sulfur. It binds to allergens, thus preventing allergic reactions, and it coats the intestinal lining to prevent dust mites and their droppings from playing havoc with allergies and worsening asthma. Take 1,000 mg, two to three times daily. You can take up to 6,000 mg daily.

Natural Health Secrets From Around the World Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. and Jean Barilla, M.S. See book keywords and concepts

These extracts contain flavonoids, diterpenese and substances unique to ginkgo plants called ginkgolides. Ginseng For thousands of years, the Chinese have used ginseng as the cornerstone of their herbal pharmacy. More recently, scientists have been proving that ginseng really does live up to many of the claims the Chinese have been making about it. It helps people live longer, lowers high blood pressure, reduces the likelihood of stroke and generally helps overall physical health. Plus, ginseng is an effective energy-booster.

Buddhists used to consider it holy, and for good reason — recent research has discovered that ginkgo extracts really do help reduce the effects of aging on the brain. Discovered by German Engelbert Kaempfer in 1690 and later exported to Europe, ginkgo is one longevity secret that seems to grow almost everywhere. In fact, it's become a common plant on many city streets because its hardiness allows it to grow under very adverse conditions. What's the secret?

Fundamentals of Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy Dr. Michael Heinrich, Joanne Barnes, Simon Gibbons and Elizabeth M. Williamson See book keywords and concepts

The production of ginkgo special extract is not a standardization in the strict sense, but a process of 'normalizing' or defining a range for certain compounds or classes of compounds. Another means of indicating the quality of a plant-derived drug is the botanical drug:extract ratio. This is calculated by dividing the amount of (dried) plant material used by the amount of solvent used for extracting it (see above). However, the ratio does not provide information on the quality of the plant material used or other parameters influencing the result of the extraction.

The leaves of ginkgo blloba, used for cognitive deficiencies (often in the elderly), including impairment of memory and affective symptoms such as anxiety. • The flower heads of chamomile (Chamomilla recutita), used for mild gastrointestinal complaints and as an anti-inflammatory agent. • The leaves and pods of senna {Cassia spp.), used for constipation. From the perspective of pharmacognosy and rational phytotherapy, such products lie alongside, and in some cases are, conventional pharmaceutical medicines.

This type of drug is known as an adaptogen, and is considered to be a substance helping the body to deal with, or adapt to, stress or other adverse conditions. ginkgo is a popular anti-ageing herb and as its most important use is to enhance memory, it is discussed in Chapter 16. CANCER CHEMOPREVENTION During the 1960s and 1970s, work done at the University of Minnesota by LW Wattenberg showed that various compounds, especially from fruits and vegetables (indoles and isothiocyanates), could inhibit chemically induced tumours in laboratory animals.

Other elements of this diet include olive oil, which contains monounsatu-rated fatty acids, which also lower blood cholesterol levels, and red wine, which contains anthocyanidins (see bilberry, above). ginkgo has antiplatelet activity and is used to improve peripheral blood circulation; this has a beneficial effect on memory and cognitive processes and will be discussed in more detail in Chapter 24. Generally these medicines are very safe, but care should be taken if they are used in conjunction with anticoagulants or prior to surgery.

However, since 1996, there has been a significant increase in the publication of randomized clinical trials on herbs, such as echinacea, garlic, ginkgo and St John's wort. Although some of these clinical trials are flawed by methodological weaknesses, there can be no doubt that clinical interest in medicinal herbs is growing. Use of herb extracts or isolated active principles The focus on the isolation of active principles from herbs in the past has led to the view that each individual herb must have an active principle(s).

In the West, the most important Chinese herbs are ginseng, ginkgo, astragalus, shizandra, reishi mushroom, baical scullcap and tea. In Ayurveda, some rejuvenating and tonic herbs are called 'rasayanas' and are considered to have a beneficial effect, balancing the tridosha. In Asian medicine, ashwagandha and Centella asiatica are very widely used. Many of these herbs contain saponins or steroidal compounds of some kind and it has been suggested that they act in a similar way to corticosteroids or enhance the effect of naturally occurring steroid hormones in the body.

Earl Mindell's Supplement Bible: A Comprehensive Guide to Hundreds of NEW Natural Products that Will Help You Live Longer, Look Better, Stay Heathier, ... and Much More! Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D. See book keywords and concepts

Although it is relatively new in the United States, ginkgo biloba is the most widely prescribed medication in Europe, often for problems related to poor circulation. Every system of the body—from the brain to sexual function—is dependent on a steady supply of blood, which provides both oxygen and nutrients to hungry cells. If the blood flow is compromised, we will feel the effects in countless ways, leaving us feeling both physically and mentally fatigued. Ginkgo can help reverse these problems by restoring adequate circulation.

Anti-Aging Manual: The Encyclopedia of Natural Health Joseph E. Mario See book keywords and concepts

Related compounds are Triacontanol, and Dotriacontanol for neuromuscular disorders; pure crystalline form manufactured by Twin Labs, Deer Park, New York. NutriLabs International's Enduraplex (20,000 meg.) and Staminex (6000 meg. with Pollen, Carnitine, Aspartic acid, and Vitamin C).

Healing with Whole Foods: Asian Traditions and Modern Nutrition Paul Pitchford See book keywords and concepts

One such remedy is ginkgo biloba tree leaf, which has been shown in clinical studies to increase blood flow and neural transmission in the brain.37'38 An extract of the leaf of the ginkgo— the oldest living tree species—has reduced senile symptoms such as memory loss, vertigo, ringing in the ears, depression, and lack of vigilance.39-40 The micro-algae wild blue-green and chlorella have also been beneficial in certain cases of senility. Nutritional supplements, which are sometimes helpful—especially when the diet remains poor—are best taken with advice based on expert diagnosis.

Prescription for Dietary Wellness: Using Foods to Heal Phyllis A. Balch, CNC See book keywords and concepts

Good: burdock, dandelion, ginseng, ginkgo biloba, licorice, parsley, milk thistle, olive leaf, red clover, St. John's wort (herbal extracts). Also, bee propolis, coenzyme 1 (ENADA), omega-3 oil, primrose oil. Best: all leafy greens, broccoli, dandelion green. Good: beet green, cabbage, carrot, green pepper, kale, onion, kelp, spinach, watercress, wheatgrass. Depression Apple, banana, blueberry, cranberry, lemon, papaya, peach, pineapple. Best: alfalfa, flaxseed oil, garlic, St. John's wort (herbal extracts). Also, S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), spirulina.

Medical Herbalism: The Science Principles and Practices Of Herbal Medicine David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG See book keywords and concepts

Actions Supplied by Varicose Vein Prescription ACTION HERBS Circulatory stimulant Zanthoxylum americanum, ginkgo biloba Vascular tonic Crataegus spp., Aesculus hippocastanum, Achillea millefolium Astringent Achillea millefolium, Hamamelis virginiana Emollient and demulcent Symphytum officinale Vulnerary Symphytum officinale Anti-inflammatory Aesculus hippocastanum Broader Context of Treatment Lifestyle factors are very important in the long-term treatment of this sometimes intransigent condition.

Ultraprevention : The 6-Week Plan That Will Make You Healthy for Life Mark Hyman, M.D. See book keywords and concepts

We also asked him to stop drinking alcohol, and prescribed three natural products: ginkgo biloba, ginseng, and argi-nine. Arginine is an amino acid that has an effect similar to Viagra; it raises the levels of a compound called nitric oxide, which is a substance found throughout our bodies that causes a number of important physiological effects. One of these is vasodilation, or enlarging of the blood vessels. Because of this action, nitric oxide can lower blood pressure and improve male erections. By taking arginine, men can do both simultaneously.

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