Indian Medicinal Plants

286 Ginkgo biloba Linn.
G
Action ◮ Astringent, styptic,
stomachic, febrifuge.
The herb and root was used in Europe
in chronic dysentery, diarrhoea
and intermittent fevers. In India, an
infusion of the rootstock is used as
sudorific in fevers, ague, chills and
catarrh.
Eugenol is present in the root stock
in combination with vacianose as phenolic
glycoside gein. The rootstock
contains tannins (30–40%).
A related species, G. elatum Wall., is
found in the Himalayas from Kashmir
to Sikkim It is used for dysentery and
diarrhoea.
Ginkgo biloba Linn.
Family ◮
Ginkgoaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to China and Japan;
cultivated in Indian gardens as an
ornamental.
English ◮ Maidenhair tree called
Living Fossils (in India), Kew tree.
Action ◮ Antagonizes bronchospasm,
used as a circulatory stimulant,
peripheral vasodilator.
Key application ◮ Standardized
dry extract—for symptomatic
treatment of disturbed performance
in organic brain syndrome within
the regimen of a therapeutic concept
in cases of dementia syndromes—
memory deficits, disturbance in
concentration, depressive emotional
conditions, dizziness, tinnitus and
headache. (German Commission
E, ESCOP, WHO.) As vasoactive
and platelet aggregation inhibitor.
(The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
(For pharmocological studies in
humans and clinical studies, see
ESCOP.)
The majority of pharmacological
studies and clinical trials have been
conduced using a standardized extract
which contains 24% flavonoid glycosides
(Ginko flavone glycosides) and
6% terpenoids (ginkgolides and bilobalide).
The extract increases tolerance to
hypoxia and exhibits anti-ischaemic
effect. It simultaneously improves the
fluidity of blood, decreases platelet adhesion,
decreases platelet and erythrocyte
aggregation and reduces plasma
and blood viscosity. The extract protects
erythrocytes from haemolysis.
The extract also decreases the permeability
of capillaries and protects the
cell membrane by trapping deleterious
free radicals.
The extract also increased cerebral
blood flow in about 70% patients evaluated
(patients between 30–50 year age
had 20% increase from the base line,
compared with 70% in those 50- to 70-
year-olds).
A reversal of sexual dysfunction
with concurrent use of ginkgo with
antidepressant drugs has been reported.
(Am J Psychiatry, 2000 157(5), 836–
837.)
The National Centre for Complementary
and Alternative Medicine,
USA, is conducting a 5-year study
of 3000 people aged 75 and older to
determine if ginkgo, 240 mg daily,
prevents dementia or Alzheimer’s
disease.(www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/gui/
c/r). 2000.