The Benefits of Ginkgo

Stimulates memory and concentration
Promotes circulation to the brain, arms, and legs
Natural antioxidant that may help support the antioxidant defense system in fighting free radicals.

German Commission E Monograph

The use of phytomedicines in Germany is well integrated into conventional medicine and the pharmacy. The German government has established a regulatory mechanism whereby herbs and phytomedicines are reviewed for their safety and efficacy for approval as over-the-counter therapies. The German Federal Health Agency established the Commission E, which consists of physicians, pharmacists, toxicologists, pharamacognosists, and others who are familiar with medicinal plant research. The Commission E has published 410 monographs covering 324 herbs and combinations. To date, more than 200 herbs are approved for OTC use, including GBE. The Commission E Monograph for GBE describes, in detail, its health-related benefits, pharmacology, toxicology, active component composition, manufacturing requirements, and quality control standards.

The Monograph defines the active components of Ginkgo biloba 50:1 extract as: 22 to 27% Flavonoid glycosides, determined as quercetin and Kaempferol including isorhamnetin (via HPLC), 5 to 7% terpene lactones, as measured by the percentage of ginkgolides A, B and C, as well as bilobalide content.

Ginkgo

Ginkgolides are unique constituents found only in the ginkgo tree. Their unique chemical structures were first described in 1967 by Professor Koji Nakanishi of Columbia University, world-renowned in the science of natural products. Ginkgolides are potent platelet activating factor (PAF) antagonists, and ginkgolide B is considered the most potent ginkgolide. Numerous scientific studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of ginkgolides, especially ginkgolide B, in blood circulation, and brain function enhancement.

Circulation:
Ginkgo biloba extract helps maintain normal, healthy circulation in the body, including the brain and the extremities, without a borrowing effect from adjacent areas of normal flow.* It also promotes efficient circulation by helping maintain the tone and elasticity of both large blood vessels (arteries) and smaller blood vessels (capillaries).* This makes it easier for blood and oxygen to reach the brain and extremities or other places characterized by fine capillaries like the eyes and ears. The brain (constituting approximately 2% of body weight, but requiring some 20% of total body-resting oxygen consumption) is very sensitive to oxygen deprivation. In a series of scientific studies conducted in France and Germany, in which animals and human subjects with specific conditions such as cerebral insufficiency were tested, standardized Ginkgo biloba extract was shown to increase the brain's tolerance for oxygen deficiency.* Terpene Lactones, which are specific to Ginkgo biloba extract, inhibit platelet activating factor (PAF).* In particular, ginkgolide B has been shown to bind to PAF receptors; it is considered the most active constituent in Ginkgo biloba and the most sustainable scientifically.*

Stimulates Memory and Concentration: In more than forty scientific studies involving human subjects, standardized Ginkgo biloba extract was shown to have a positive effect on electroencephalograph (EEG) activity, short-term memory and speed of information processing, resulting from its ability to increase blood flow to the brain and Central Nervous System (CNS).*

Antioxidant activity: The brain and CNS have a high lipid content in their cell membranes. This characteristic makes them vulnerable to attack and damage by free radicals. Oxidized lipids, such as lipid peroxides, may alter cells and membrane integrity leading to a gradual loss of semipermeability. Flavonoid glycosides and proanthocyanidins in Ginkgo biloba extract have potent antioxidant activities that help support the body's antioxidant defense system fight free radicals.

Ginkgo Biloba Extract