Ginkgo Biloba

Ginkgo biloba 4 oz bulk herb

Reputed to boost the function of the brain and memory. Helps with circulation. Works well with hawthrone berry, ginseng (all forms). Often perscribed with Garlic, Ginger, Green Tea, and Ginseng forming the Fives G's as a daily health (folk) tonic.  American ginseng, in combination with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba), may help treat ADHD. Has a bitter taste, not a pleasant tea. Taste better when added to other herbs and spices. 

The MAYO Clinic reports on their website   [the following] uses have been tested in humans or animals.  Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven.  Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evalua ted by a qualified healthcare provider.

Ask your doctor if Ginkgo is right for you. 

Cerebral insufficiency (insufficient blood flow to the brain)

Dementia

Generalized anxiety disorder

Schizophrenia

Altitude (mountain) sickness

Asthma

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

Autism

Blood pressure control

Cancer prevention

Chemotherapy side effects reduction

Chronic cochleovestibular disorders (ear disorder)

Chronic cochleovestibular disorders (ear disorder)

Claudication (painful legs from clogged arteries)

Chronic venous insufficiency (damaged vein valves)

Cocaine dependence

Cognitive performance

Decreased libido and erectile dysfunction

Depression and seasonal affective disorder

Diabetic nephropathy (kidney disease)

Diabetic neuropathy (nerve damage)

Dyslexia

Exercise performance

Fibromyalgia (nervous system disorder)

Glaucoma (increased eye pressure)

Graves' disease (thyroid disorder)

Hearing loss

Heart disease

Hemorrhoids

High blood sugar/glucose intolerance

Macular degeneration (eye disease)

Memory enhancement (in healthy people)

Mental performance (after eating)

Migraine

Mood and cognition in post-menopausal women

Multiple sclerosis

Ocular allergy (eye allergy)

Premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

Pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (scarred lung tissue)

 Quality of life

Retinopathy (eye damage from type 2 diabetes)

Skin aging

Smell disorders

Stomach cancer

Stroke recovery

Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

Vertigo (dizziness)

Vitiligo (lack of skin pigmentation)

Age-associated memory impairment

Raynaud's disease (poor circulation)

http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/ginkgo/dosing/hrb-20059541

More traditional or folk uses:

Acidosis (high acid levels in blood), adaptogen, aging, alcoholism, allergies, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiparasitic, arthritis, benign breast diseases, bladder disorders, blood clots, brain damage, breast tenderness, bruising (hematoma), cancer treatment, cataracts, cellulitis (connective tissue inflammation), chilblains (inflammation from cold exposure), contraceptive (spermicidal), cyanosis (blue skin from low oxygen), degenerative diseases (prevention), dermatitis (skin inflammation), diabetes, digestion, dysentery (bloody diarrhea), eczema, edema, energy enhancer, expectorant, freckle-removing, genitourinary disorders, headache, hepatitis B, high cholesterol, hypoxia (lack of oxygen), immunomodulator, inflammatory bowel disease, insomnia, labor induction, menstrual pain, mood, neuroprotection, pain, postphlebitis syndrome (blood clot complication), respiratory tract illnesses, scabies (topical), seizures, sepsis (serious infection), skin sores (topical), stress, vaginal dryness, vascular damage, vision problems, wound healing.

Dosage fro Ginkgo Extract (unspecified) 

The below doses are based on scientific research, publications, traditional use, or expert opinion. Many herbs and supplements have not been thoroughly tested, and safety and effectiveness may not be proven. Brands may be made differently, with variable ingredients, even within the same brand. The below doses may not apply to all products. You should read product labels, and discuss doses with a qualified healthcare provider before starting therapy.

adults (over 18 years old)

For age-associated memory impairment (AAMI), 240-600 milligrams of ginkgo extract (EGb 761® or ginkgobene®) has been taken by mouth for up to 42 weeks. Ginkgo in a dosage of 0.9-1.9 milliliters has been taken by mouth three times daily. Additionally, 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth twice daily for 6.1 years.

For altitude (mountain) sickness, 160 milligrams of ginkgo (EGb 761®) once daily or 120 milligrams of ginkgo twice daily has been taken by mouth for 4-5 days.

For autism, 100 milligrams of ginkgo EGb 761® has been taken by mouth daily for four weeks.

For blood pressure control, 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth for 6.1 years.

For cancer prevention, 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract (EGb 761®) has been taken by mouth twice daily for 6.1 years.

For cerebral insufficiency (insufficient blood flow to the brain), up to 160 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth daily for 12 weeks in up to three divided doses.

For cochleovestibular (ear) disorders, 160 milligrams of ginkgo (EGb 761®) supplements (Tanakan® or Tebokan®) has been taken by mouth as two tablets twice daily over six weeks.

For claudication (leg pain from clogged arteries), 80-320 milligrams of ginkgo extract (EGb 761®) or 6 milliliters of ginkgo liquid has been taken by mouth daily in single or divided doses for up to six months. The ginkgo product Tanakan® has been injected in the veins at a dose of 100 milligrams in 500 cubic centimeters of normal saline, twice daily for eight days. Additionally, 35 milligrams of ginkgo extract has been injected into the femoral vein.

For cocaine dependence, 120 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth daily for 10 weeks.

For cognitive performance, up to 600 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth as a tablet, flavone glycoside, ginkgolide, or leaf extract in single or divided doses for up to eight months (Blackmore's ginkgo Forte®, EGb 761®, Tebonin®, Tanakan®, Rökan®, Kaveri®).

For decreased libido and erectile dysfunction (impotence), up to 240 milligrams of ginkgo or ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth daily for up to 18 months.

For dementia, up to 600 milligrams daily of ginkgo in single or divided doses has been taken by mouth for up to six years (EGb 761®, Tebonin®, Tanakan®, Rökan®, Kaveri®). Additionally, 200 milligrams of EGb 761® has been injected in the blood for four days weekly. Geriaforce® at a daily dose of 2.85-5.7 milliliters has been injected in the blood for 24 weeks.

For depression and seasonal affective disorder (SAD), 240 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth for up to 10 weeks.

For diabetic nephropathy (kidney damage), 20 milliliters of ginkgo in 250 milliliters of normal saline has injected in the blood daily for four weeks.

For eye allergy, two eyedrops containing a combination of ginkgo and hyaluronic acid were used in each eye three times daily for one month.

For generalized anxiety disorder, 240-480 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth daily in up to three divided doses for 4-8 weeks.

For glaucoma (increased eye pressure), up to 300 milligrams of ginkgo, ginkgo extract or flavonoid glycosides has been taken by mouth daily in single or divided doses for up to four years.

For glucose tolerance, 120 milligrams of EGb 761® has been taken by mouth once daily for three months.

For Graves' disease (thyroid disorder), 120 milligrams of EGb 761® has been taken by mouth daily from three days before to 30 days after radioiodine therapy.

For hearing loss, 120 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth twice daily. Additionally, 40 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth three times daily over two different courses of 90 days.

For heart disease, 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract (EGb 761®, Schwabe Pharmaceuticals, Karlsruhe, Germany) has been taken by mouth twice daily for 6.1 years. Additionally, 87.5 milligrams of ginkgo extract has been injected in the blood daily for two weeks.

For macular degeneration (eye disease), up to 480 milligrams of ginkgo or ginkgo extract has been taken in single or divided doses by mouth for up to six months (ginkgo extract LI 1370, EGb 761®).

For memory enhancement, 120-360 milligrams of ginkgo daily in single or divided doses has been taken by mouth for up to six weeks (Bioginkgo® , Ginkoba® , Blackmore's ginkgoforte extract, Li1370, EGb 761®, Ginkoba Gb extract).

For mental alertness (post-meal), 130-234 milligrams of ginkgo daily has been taken by mouth for 13 weeks.

For mood and cognition in postmenopausal women, 120 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth daily for seven days to six weeks.

For multiple sclerosis (MS), 240 or 360 milligrams of ginkgolide B has been taken by mouth daily.

For premenstrual syndrome (PMS), up to 320 milligrams of ginkgo or ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth in single or divided doses (Ginko T.D.™ EGb 761®).

For pulmonary interstitial fibrosis (lung scarring), 1 gram of ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth three times daily for three months.

For quality of life, 120 milligrams of EGb 761® extract has been taken by mouth daily for 4-10 months.

For Raynaud's (poor circulation), 120-360 milligrams of ginkgo extract (EGb 761®) has been taken by mouth in single or divided doses daily for up to 10 weeks.

For retinopathy (eye damage from type 2 diabetes), 80 milligrams (2 milliliters) of EGb 761® has been taken by mouth twice daily.

For schizophrenia, up to 360 milligrams of ginkgo or ginkgo extract (EGb 761®) has been taken by mouth in divided doses daily for up to 16 weeks, alone or in combination with antipsychotics.

For smell disorders, 80 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth three times daily for four weeks in addition to prednisolone and mometasone furoate.

For stroke, 40 milligrams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth four times daily for four weeks.

For stomach cancer, 0.5 grams of ginkgo has been taken by mouth three times daily.

For tinnitus (ringing of the ears), up to 240 milligrams of ginkgo or ginkgo extract has been taken by mouth in single or divided doses for up to 26 weeks (EGb 761®, Tanakan®, LI1370). Additionally, 200 milligrams of EGb 761® has been injected in the blood for 10 days, followed by 80 milligrams taken by mouth twice daily for 12 weeks.

For vertigo (dizziness), 160 milligrams of ginkgo (EGb 761®) has been taken by mouth daily for three months.

For vitiligo (lack of pigment in the skin), 120 milligrams of ginkgo extract or standardized ginkgo in two or three divided doses has been taken for up to six months.

Note: The intravenous ginkgo product Tebonin®, which was available in Germany, may have been removed from the German market due to significant adverse effects.

Note: Beneficial effects may take 4-6 weeks to appear. Ginkgo seeds are potentially toxic and should be avoided.These nuts (look and taste like pistachio's) are used in Traditional Chinese Medicine - often perscribed along with herbs that counter some of the toxic effect, but never in large amounts and never without a perscrriton and disgnosis. 

Children (under 18 years old)

For attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), 40-120 milligrams has been taken by mouth daily in single or divided doses for six weeks.

For dyslexia, 80 milligrams of EGb 761® has been taken by mouth daily for an average of 34.4 days.

MAYO CLINIC CONCLUSION: more studdies are needed. 

Be informed, consult with healthcare providers.  Ask your doctor if Ginkgo is right for you.