Gingko Biloba Essay -- Herbal Supplements Papers

Gingko Biloba Introduction We, as consumers, are always trying to find new products to buy in which to improve ourselves. In modern-day American culture, improving oneself has become synonymous with feeling younger and healthier. Gingko biloba extract is one of the popular herbal supplements being marketed to mainstream consumers as a "smart" and "anti-aging" drug (http://www.stevemorow.com/food.htm) which will work to help to increase their overall brain functioning in the normal population, as well as, those who suffer from mental impairment due to aging. Gingko biloba extract has also been labeled an anti-aging drug due to its antioxidant properties, its supposed free radical scavenger properties, as well as its reported increases in people’s overall mental functioning. You see advertisements for it on television, as well as, the Internet making a large number of different kinds of claims of Gingko biloba’s benefits. The claimed benefits range from increasing overall brain functioning in norma l people to people with mental impairment, to being a mood enhancer (http://www.televar.com/alpha/biloba.html), to helping with such slight conditions as cough and asthma, to helping increase circulation in patients suffering from painful vascular diseases to actually having "slimming" applications (http://www.mmpinc.com/WHATS.HTM). If all these claims are true, then Gingko biloba extract sounds like a "mulit-cure"drug for the entire population. This paper will attempt to reduce the confusion associated with the large number of claimed benefits of taking Gingko biloba by explaining what the research literature has to back up these claims. I had a hard time myself keeping track of all the reported claims. At this time, Gingko bil... ...esearch, 4(2), 89-93. Taillandier, J., Ammar, A., Rabourdin, J.P., Ribeyre, J.P., Pichon, J., Niddam, S., Pierart, H. (1986). Treatment of cerebral aging disorders with Gingko biloba extract. A longitudinal multicenter double-blind drug vs. placebo study. Presse Medicale, 15(31) Sep. 25, 1583-7. Vettorello, G., Cerreta, G., Derwish, A., Cataldi, A., Schettino, A., Occhionorelli, S., Donini, I. (1996). Contribution of a combination of aplha and beta benzopyrones, flavonoids, and natural terpenes in the treatment of lymphedema of the lower limbs at the 2nd stage of the surgical classification. Minerva Cardioangiologica, 44(9), 447-55. Warot, D., Lacomblez, L., Danjou, P., Weiller, E., Payan, C., Puech, A.J. (1991). Comparative effects of gingko biloba extracts on psychomotor performances and memory in healthy subjects. Therapie, 46(1) Jan-Feb, 33-6.