Gary Null, Ph.D.
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 Considering that many older adults suffer from deteriorated adrenal capacities, ginseng can provide a valuable supplement to ginkgo biloba extract.
Yet another herb that promotes healthy circulation to the brain is butcher's broom. Enhanced memory and clearer focus can be expected when two to four 425-mg capsules are taken daily.
What to Avoid
Unfortunately most Americans indulge in an abundance of processed foods, foods stripped of vital nutrients. |
American Medical Publishing
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| No long-term adverse effects are known.
• ginkgo biloba — This herb is generally very well tolerated. Ginkgo may potentiate MAO-inhibitors, so consult your physician if you are using an anti-depressant and are not sure if it is in this class of drugs. In large amounts, ginkgo can cause diarrhea, irritability and restlessness. Gingko is also well known to cause heartburn and stomach upset in many people.
• Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) - This should not be used during pregnancy. Do not take for more than two weeks at a time. |
Sharol Tilgner, N.D.
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 Profiles of herbs used in this formula:
Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, increases blood flow peripherally to the limbs and head. 68,69,71 It is an antioxidant, anticoagulant and antiatherosclerotic.661370 Clinically, ginkgo is used for cerebral vascular insufficiency and impaired mental performance. It increases blood flow to the brain and decreases platelet aggregation, preventing strokes and other diseases related to emboli. |
Jean Carper
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 My ninety-two-year-old mother has been taking ginkgo biloba for two years, since her memory began to falter. I think it has helped her greatly.
Doing the research for this book was formidable and quite different from the research for the other nineteen books I have written, most on related health and nutrition subjects. In researching other books, I found that much of the medical literature was readily available. |
| It is called ginkgo biloba, and its beneficial effects on blood circulation and brain function make this herb a remarkable medicine. It works in both neurodegenerative and vascular diseases, such as poor blood flow to the brain because of narrowed blood vessels—a common cause of impaired memory and other symptoms of so-called "senility." In Germany and France ginkgo is widely prescribed as a treatment for age-related mental malfunction, including general dementia and Alzheimer's. |
| Her scientist son began giving her ginkgo biloba in standardized doses of 240 milligrams daily, which is used in Germany to treat Alzheimer's. She did not suddenly recover her lost memory, because you wouldn't expect ginkgo to revive dead brain cells, says Dr. Cott. But something extraordinary did happen. Her Alzheimer's has not progressed as it would invariably be expected to do. "Definitely, you would normally see a measurable deterioration every six months. But she has not gotten a smidgen worse in four years, which I think is pretty remarkable, and so do her other doctors," says Dr. Cott. |
| The medicine called ginkgo biloba is derived from the leaves of the ginkgo tree, an ornamental tree growing in temperate climates. The plant's reputed most active chemicals, the ginkgolides, are generally extracted from the leaves and turned into tablets of various potency. These potent ginkgolides are unique to the ginkgo tree and are not found anywhere else in nature.
What's the Evidence?
Some experts call ginkgo the most important of all botanical medicines. Since the 1950s more than 400 papers on ginkgo, most from German investigators, have appeared in the medical literature. |
Glenn W. Geelhoed, M.D. and Jean Barilla, M.S.
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 GINKGO Many people around the world believe that the ancient ginkgo biloba plant has the ability to improve memory, increase mental alertness, and lessen ringing in the ears. In Europe and Asia, over five million people take ginkgo each year to prevent the effects of aging. The usual dosage is one 40mg tablet 3 times a day.
Research conducted in France, and at several other places in Europe, indicates that the herb acts by increasing the blood flow to the brain and improving the oxygen supply to the heart and other organs. |
| For centuries, the Chinese have been using ginkgo biloba to treat allergies. Both its bark and its leaves provide effective remedies. Ginkgo treatment is also popular with other Asians, the Germans and the French. Ginkgo contains ginkgolides, which are compounds that smooth and soothe lung tissue and relax constricted bronchial tubes. herbal tea Fenugreek is full of calcium and other minerals and has a soothing effect on the respiratory system. If you suffer from hay fever, drinking 1 cup of fenugreek seed tea a day may help. |
Henry Pasternak, D.V.M., C.V.A.
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 Interestingly, ginkgolides from ginkgo biloba are naturally occurring platelet-activating factor antagonists. Ginkgo is a versatile herb that I have used in many degenerative diseases. Ginkgolides inhibit PAF-induced release of thromboxane B2 and prostaglandins from primary cultures of human and rat glomerular mesangial cells. Ginkgo also inhibits PAF-induced formation of reactive oxygen species from cultured mesangial cells and destruction of the glomeruli (ginkgo is known to be an antioxidant, which is important since free radical production is implicated in progressive kidney disorders). |
Sharol Tilgner, N.D.
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| Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, is a peripheral vasodilator, increasing blood flow to the limbs and head.68169,71 This increases cerebral oxygenation and nutrition, making it ideal for stroke prevention.71 It is also an antioxidant, anticoagulant and helps maintain strong blood vessel walls.66'71,369 Ginkgo improves alertness, mental clarity, and memory.
Siberian ginseng, Eleutherococcus senticosus, is an adaptogen that helps the body to adapt to stressful situations of many types whether from internal or external causes.377
Nettle, Urtica spp., is very nutritious and high in vitamins and minerals. |
Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND
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 To do so is to invite reinfection.
¦ ginkgo biloba extract contains flavonoids with an affinity for organs that are rich in connective tissue, including the eyes. Ginkgo protects cellular membranes and has notable antioxidant properties. It also enhances the use of oxygen and glucose by the cells, and works to normalize circulation. Select ginkgo leaf extract containing 24 percent ginkgo heterosides (sometimes also called flavoglyco-sides) and take 40 milligrams three times daily.
HOMEOPATHY
¦ Conium is for inflamed eyes that are intensely sensitive to light. |
Sharol Tilgner, N.D.
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| Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, increases blood flow peripherally to all areas including the prostate, penis and male gonads. Clinically, ginkgo is used for peripheral vascular insufficiency and has been shown to be beneficial in erectile dysfunction.b9Jl 300
Oat, Avena sativa, is a gently stimulating nervine and cerebral trophorestorative. It is especially helpful in weakened conditions and reflex nervous irritation. Oat is a nutritious herb that helps restore normal nervous system function. |
| Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, has antagonistic action on platelet activating factor. It decreases the chance of transplant rejection in kidney transplants and protects the kidney against damage from the immune suppressive drug, Cyclosporin.394 396
Corn silk, Zea mays, is a soothing diuretic and a mild antimicrobial. It is healing to the urinary tract and helps restore normal tissue tone and function.162
Ginseng, Panax ginseng, is an adaptogen. It is useful for anemia, general weakness, nervous agitation, forgetfulness and impotence. This herb is specifically used to support normal kidney function. |
| Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, increases blood flow peripherally to the limbs and head.68,69,71 It is an antioxidant, anticoagulant and antiatherosclerotic.m-370 It increases blood flow to the brain and decreases platelet aggregation, preventing strokes and other diseases related to emboli.71
Sage root (Dan shen), Salvia miltiorrhiza, inhibits blood platelet aggregation, dilates coronary arteries and increases coronary blood flow without affecting the heart rate. It is a hypotensive, antioxidant, heart tonic and is used to treat angina. |
| Ginkgo, ginkgo biloba, improves overall metabolism of the brain by increasing cerebral circulation.68' 71 It increases oxygen and energy production in the brain and facilitates the removal of metabolic waste products. This supports all activities of the brain, including the hypothalamus and the pituitary, which control metabolic functions throughout the body including the adrenals and other endocrine organs. Research shows ginkgo stimulates the nervous system.
BLOOD SUGAR METABOLISM COMPOUND
Gymnema Blueberry Devil's club Jambul seed Fenugreek
Gymnema sylveslre 20-30%
Vaccinium spp. |
Ralph Golan, M.D.
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 Hawthorn berry, ginkgo biloba, and catechin all protect arterial walls. Take solid hawthorn berry extract (lA to Vi teaspoon twice a day), from Scientific Botanicals, Seattle; ginkgo (40 milligrams twice a day); and catechin from gambir from Thorne Research of Sandpoint, Idaho (400 milligrams twice a day).
• Green tea, unroasted, is also high in catechin, which helps maintain connective tissues in arteries and elsewhere. If you do not have high blood pressure and are not caffeine sensitive, the benefits may offset the small amount of caffeine. Drink up to 2 cups a day. |
| HERBAL REMEDIES
• Use hawthorn berry, ginkgo biloba, garlic, onions, catechin, and quercetin, as discussed in ARTERIOSCLEROSIS and Chapter Nineteen.
OTHER THERAPIES
• Follow a regular exercise program and develop relaxation and stress management skills, as discussed under ARTERIOSCLEROSIS.
Heartburn
A hot, burning, or acid sensation in the upper abdomen or lower chest usually occurring shortly after a meal. It can last up to several hours.
Related or Underlying Causes
Heartburn can be caused by both insufficient and excessive amounts of stomach acid. |
Jean Carper
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| How can I in good conscience give ginkgo biloba to people if I don't believe in it enough to take it myself?" he asks. So persuasive is the evidence that Dr. Itil is calling for worldwide clinical trials of ginkgo to be partly funded by the U.S. government and carried out at about twenty of the World Health Organization's clinical centers around the world.
Dr. Itil knows ginkgo has striking pharmacological activity in the brain, as revealed by electroencephalograms (EEGs). |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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 A multicenter double-blind clinical study of 103 patients with tinnitus concluded, "Ginkgo biloba extract treatment improved the condition of all the tinnitus patients, irrespective of the prognostic factor" (Meyer, 1986).
Ear Infection (Otitis Media)
The Journal of Otolaryngology reported in 1998 that we spend over $3 billion per year to treat acute otitis media (AOM) with drugs and surgery. Some of the organisms that commonly cause AOM include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Aspergillus species, and Moraxella catarrhalis. |
Janet Zand, LAc, OMD, Allan N. Spreed, MD, CNC, James B. LaValle, RPh, ND
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| If you are sensitive to the effects of caffeine and other stimulants, you may want to consult with a qualified herbalist before using ginseng.
¦ ginkgo biloba helps increase the blood supply to the brain. Choose a standardized extract containing at least 24 percent ginkgo heterosides (sometimes called flavoglyco-sides). The recommended dosage is 50 to 80 milligrams three times a day.
¦ Gotu kola has been used for centuries in India to increase the efficiency of the brain. Choose a standardized extract containing 16 percent triterpenes and take 200 milligrams three times a day. |
Michael T. Murray, N.D.
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 Furthermore, Ginkgo biloba's antiaggregatory effect on platelets offers additional protection against stroke. This has been supported in a clinical study of poststroke patients, which demonstrated that GBE improved blood and blood viscosity.19
As well as improving blood supply to the brain, experimental and clinical studies show that GBE increases the rate at which information is transmitted at the nerve cell level.2022 The memory-enhancing effects of GBE are not limited to the elderly. |
| Vascular disorders
Clinical studies have demonstrated the positive effect of bilberry extract in the treatment of capillary fragility, blood purpuras, various circulation disturbances of the brain (similar to ginkgo biloba), venous insufficiency, varicose veins, and microscopic blood loss in the urine caused by kidney capillary fragility.15-43-53
Capillary fragility The ability of bilberry extract to reduce capillary fragility is discussed in Pharmacology (above). |
| Several herbal medicines described here may in fact already fulfill the role of wonder drug, for example, ginkgo biloba, Silybum marianum, Panax ginseng, and Piper methysticum.
The future of herbal medicine looks bright. Many of the previous shortcomings of herbal medicine have been overcome (e.g., the lack of scientific support, standardization, and quality control). |
| In Germany, as well as France, extracts of ginkgo biloba leaves are registered for the treatment of cerebral and peripheral vascular insufficiency.8 Ginkgo products are available by prescription and OTC purchase. Ginkgo extracts are among the three most widely prescribed drugs in both Germany and France, with a combined annual sales figure of more than $500 million dollars. In contrast, in the United States, extracts, which are identical to those approved in Germany and France, are available as "food supplements. |
| According to the results of this preliminary study, ginkgo biloba extract appears to be very effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction due to lack of blood flow. The improved arterial inflow to erectile tissue is assumed to be due to GBE's enhancement of blood flow through both arteries and veins without any change in systemic blood pressure.
It should be noted that ginkgo's effects are more apparent with long-term therapy, and better results may be obtained with a 120-milligram per day dose in order to take full advantage of ginkgo's effect in improving blood flow. |
The Garlic CureJames F. Scheer, Lynn Allison and Charlie Fox
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| Thanks to the suggestion of a colleague, I tried a Kyolic supplement called Neuro-Logic, a product based on aged garlic but also containing folic acid, Vitamin B-12, lecithin, ginkgo biloba, phosphatidylserine and acetyl L-Carnitine. My results were dramatic and immediate. In three days, I was experiencing just half of my problems. After four months on Neuro-Logic, I am amazingly better. Instead of having speech problems a dozen times, in an hour, I sometimes experience them only twice a month. That's why I plan to use this product for the rest of my life. |
Alan Keith Tillotson, Ph.D., A.H.G., D.Ay.
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| GINKGO LEAF
Latin: ginkgo biloba English: Maidenhair tree Chinese: Bai guo ye / Yin guo ye
WHAT IT DOES: Purified ginkgo leaf is bitter and astringent in taste and stimulating and warming in action. It increases oxygen and blood flow to the brain and extremities and increases nutrient and oxygen absorption by nerve tissue.
RATING: Silver
SAFETY ISSUES: Use cautiously with anticoagulant drugs. Do not use with pharmaceutical MAO inhibitors. Avoid use prior to surgery, except as noted for bypass surgery. |
The Garlic CureJames F. Scheer, Lynn Allison and Charlie Fox
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| A friend answered that question, suggesting that I take Gingko Biloba Plus a combination of aged garlic extract, Siberian ginseng extract and ginkgo biloba leaf extract to supply more blood to my brain. Immediately, I started taking six capsules daily - two each morning, noon, and night.
After three weeks on this regimen, results were unbelievable. Most of my paralysis was gone, I had regained my equilibrium and was able to walk without assistance. |
Earl Mindell, R.Ph., Ph.D.
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 Many combination products designed to improve sexual performance for men include yohimbe, along with ginkgo biloba, zinc, and L-arginine. Since yohimbine hydrochloride can cause serious side effects in some men, I err on the side of caution with yohimbe. Before you use it, I recommend that you check with your physician or natural healer.
What about the claims that yohimbe can help body builders bulk up? |
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