The unusual looking Gingko tree is one of the few living links between the modern world and the age of the dinosaur and is the only living representative of the ancient botanical order of Ginkogoales. The Chinese, who have used Ginkgo in medical preparations since 2800BCE, call it the "Fountain of Youth" herb.
The Healing Species
Ginkgo's leaves are more often than not double-lobed, but they can have up to four indentations. Three to five of these leaves grow from a thickened stalk sprouting straight out of the tree; these leaves often continue growing after a tree is apparently dead.
Definition: Botanical family: Ginkgoaceae Species: Ginkgo biloba is the species used for healing: decorative species include G. pendula (weeping), G. macrophylla laciniata, and G. factigiata (columnar).
The Gingko tree reaches 20-30ft (6-9m) in height in the first two decades of its' life and remains slim in shape. After this it broadens out, especially nearer the base, where the trunk can produce an almost billowing skirt effect. Ginkgo trees can live for up to a thousand years and reach 20-30ft (6-9m) in width and 80-90ft (24-27m) in height.
Male trees bear yellow, catkin-shaped male flowers, which hang in clusters of two to five, and grow to 1 ½ to 2 ¾" (4-7cm) long and have many stamens. Female trees bear tiny, green, female flowers, which are long-stalked and grow in groups of one to three. Fruit only appears on the female trees - this management of different sexual organs on two different trees is called "dioecious"; translated literally it means "two houses". The plum-like fruits ripen to a wonderful yellow-orange colour but emit an unpleasant smell similar to rancid butter or rotten fish.
Female Ginkgo trees in Britain and in other similar, or colder, European climates do not usually produce fruit because the average winter temperature is too low, whereas in warmer climates, such as in California, boulevards of Ginkgo trees in full flower and fruit grow in abundance.
A Ginkgo tree is a good choice for a small or large area of land, because it initially remains very slim. After 20 years it will eventually gain width and, at that time, pruning will help to contain its' size. In fact Ginkgo is a tree often chosen as a bonsai plant because it readily adapts to vigorous pruning. The unusual shaped leaves, with their piercing vernal green in the spring, deeper green in the summer and stunning yellow in the autumn are attractive all the year round.
Visually Ginkgo ranks in the top few trees worldwide for its' distinctive appearance. Its' winter form can vary from angular and upright to weeping and graceful. In the spring its' multi-lobed, fan-shaped green leaves burst from both branch and trunk and become golden yellow in the fall.
Where to find Ginkgo
Prior to the Ice Age, Ginkgo grew in many parts of the world. Evidence of this can be seen in the petrified stumps, many millions of years old, that still survive in the Ginkgo Forest State Park in Washington, USA
The state of Washington was subtropical when Ginkgo was thriving there, although the tree does appear to be able to adapt to colder conditions when necessary. If the prediction of a rise in global temperature over the next 50 years proves to be true and results in the drying out of many forest and mountain tress, this could be a useful tree to consider cultivating in their place.
This would also be of benefit to the areas that would lose many of their existing mountain trees because of drought intolerance, such as the Appalachian Walk that straddles many different states in the US, including Virginia and Maine.
Although Ginkgo largely died out during the Ice Age, it survived in Asia and the Chinese kept it alive because they revered it as a sacred tree. There are paintings of Ginkgo inside many Chinese temples and 1,000 years ago the Japanese planted it around their monasteries.
American herbalist Christopher Hobbs makes an interesting point about Ginkgo. He says that although some botanists consider that the only really wild Ginkgo can be found in forests in the eastern part of China, many Ginkgo trees have been planted all over the world as hardy shade protectors, especially in towns, because they are very resilient to any form of pollution.
Commercial Growers
According to the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, Ginkgo leaves are commercially available from China, Japan and Korea and from plantations in France and the south eastern parts of the United States. Other commercial importers buy Ginkgo leaves from Belgium, Holland and Germany.
Soil Requirements
Ginkgo will grow in almost any type of soil. However, when Ginkgo is commercially grown, a soil rich in humus and nitrogen is preferable. This will mimic the Ginkgo trees' preferred conditions in the wild, where it flourishes in mixed, deciduous and evergreen woodlands with deep leaf litter. What is important is the commitment to the "organic" origins of these trees. Spraying with chemical sprays is wholly unnecessary on Ginkgo because it is so disease-resistant.
The leaves and nuts of Ginkgo have been safely used as medicine and food for several thousands of years. The wealth of empirical knowledge about this amazing tree is reassuring regarding its' safety and efficacy when used in normal daily doses and should encourage us to grow and to use it more frequently.
Notably the oldest living species of the tree, Ginkgo was described by Charles Darwin as a "living fossil", because it has evolved over 200 million years, from the same period of time in fact that the first birds appeared and dinosaurs reached their optimum size.
Cone-bearing trees were plentiful and pines and conifers remain more closely related to Ginkgo than other deciduous trees.
Ginkgo's use as a medicinal plant began comparatively late in its' development, some time after the human race first came into existence two million years ago. The name 'Ginkgo' comes from the Chinese word yinhsing, which describes the trees' fruit and means 'silver apricot'. The 'biloba' part of the name describes the leaves, which frequently have two lobes and a heart-shaped appearance. Sometimes three or four lobes can be found, bringing the tree closer to the ancient Ginkgo species in existence prior to biloba, as evidenced by fossils found in China.
Traditional Uses
Early humans gained herb knowledge through trial and error and by comparing and translating herbs' visual appearance, odour and smell. Ginkgo was no exception; early records show that its' thorns could pierce and drain an abscess and were boiled in drinks to help reduce swellings. They also learned that the Ginkgo fruit caused skin rashes but that the seeds inside were medicinally valuable, as well as the leaves.
The history of Ginkgo's use in China is well recorded, with information dating back 5,000 years in many texts including the I Ching: The Book of Changes. The tree has a phenomenal record of resistance to insects, pollution and parasitic invasion. The coating of the nut was found to be microbially resistant, which demonstrates the survival mechanism attributable to the whole plant. Ginkgo's resilience is also evidenced by the fact that Ginkgo nuts were found alive after the atomic explosion in Hiroshima, Japan, where even damaged trees began to sprout and grow.
Ginkgo leaves were used to relieve and strengthen memory abilities as early as 2800BCE, and the nuts were used in the treatment of bronchial disorders and to aid circulation and the digestive process.
Ginkgo trees are popular in cities but the male tree is usually preferred because it produces larger flowers and does not bear the fruits of the female, which have an unpleasant odour. Ginkgo is also called the "Maidenhair Tree" because its' foliage resembles the fronds of some Maidenhair ferns.
Leaves
The leaves of Ginkgo are used medicinally. The fan shaped leaves turn from bright green in the spring to a beautiful yellowish green in the autumn. Underneath the leaves are slightly paler in colour; both sides are flexible and a little oily and shiny, but on harvesting the leaves become papery and are easier to split. They are about 4" (10cm) wide and 2¾" (7cm) long with closely spaced veins on each side, which radiate from the base.
Shelf-life of leaves
Leaves last for only one year, after which time they should be replaced with newly-harvested, vibrant, leaves.
Nuts
The nuts (female seeds) are also used medicinally. They are covered with fleshy fruit and look like greenish-yellow plums. They appear in the autumn, hanging like large yellow cherries in clusters of four or five together. Each cluster has its' own stalk branching from a larger, leafy parent stalk. The fruits often smell offensive. Inside each fruit is a nut, which does not smell unpleasant and can be eaten.
Shelf-life of nuts
Keep fresh nuts cool and use within 3-5 days; dried nuts last a long time and can still sprout after hundreds of years.
Chemical Constituents
The chemistry of Ginkgo leaves and seeds is the same but the proportions vary slightly. Both the leaves and the seeds contain several groups of high quality flavonoids, which include ginkgetin, bilobetin, quercetin, kaempferol and isohamnetin.
In addition to flavonoids, Ginkgo also contains terpene, flavorlessness (Ginkgo betters), antihistamines, lactones, procanthocyanidins and an organic acid. When these components are combined, they protect and repair the body. Ginkgo's phenomenal survival abilities are due to its' unique chemistry, which pharmaceutical companies find difficult to synthesize. Ginkgo root bark is also rich in all the chemical constituents mentioned, but harvesting it from such a slow-growing tree would not be feasible or justifiable and is unnecessary because you can make good use of the leaves and nuts.
Ginkgo has been used for a wide array of diseases and conditions for thousands of years, particularly in China. One of the trees' main attributes is the ability to increase the flow of blood through ageing blood vessels, particularly in the brain.
How Ginkgo Can Help
Helps to improve circulation to the brain, which enhances memory, mental agility, alertness and other brain functions and eases some types of depression.
As a general circulatory herb, Ginkgo increases the supply of oxygen and heals damage to the heart, veins and capillary system, as well as assisting general health by improving energy levels and by slowing down the ageing process.
Helpful for the senses, especially the hearing and eyesight and treats a wide-range of connected disorders. Ginkgo also helps the treatment of any balance or vertigo problems, such as Ménières disease.
As a radical scavenger, Ginkgo protects cell membranes in the brain and other brain tissues from damage, which helps to keep the body and mind young, alert and healthy.
Aids the work of neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn helps memory agility and enhancement. This is useful against dyslexia, memory loss, depression and senility.
Helps fight disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system, partly by protecting nerve coverings against some types of damage or wear and tear (often associated with stress). These coverings are called "myelin sheaths". The function of the nervous system is further helped by well-circulated blood.
Balances and regulates brain metabolism partly because of the increased flow of blo9od and the utilisation of oxygen and blood sugar (glucose). As George Halpern puts it in his book Ginkgo: A Practical Guide - "The brain accounts for only 2% of body weight, but, it requires one-fifth of the bodys' oxygen and has little or no reserves on which to draw". A lack of oxygen also adversely affects the heart, lungs and muscles.
How Ginkgo Affects the Body
Increases oxygen and glucose levels throughout the body, together with additional blood flow, which makes the body work better and encourages physical and mental improvement.
Increased blood flow leads to positive results in the vascular system. For instance, the consistency of the blood is altered favourably, making the blood thinner if it is too thick and sticky. Inappropriately sticky blood, clumping together unnecessarily, cause poor blood flow (platelet aggregation). This can result in painful muscular cramps (premenstrual and otherwise), clots, varicose veins, embolism and thrombosis.
Helps protect the actual make-up of the red blood cell membranes and capillaries, improving their efficiency.
Supports the immune system. Ginkgo has antibacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral qualities that are able to deal with a range of disorders, diseases and allergies, including asthma, hay fever and candida infections.
Enables the white blood cells to fight a whole range of minor and major infections.
Helps reduce the immune systems' over-reaction of which inflammation is a by product for example in arthritis, rheumatism, asthma and Hepatitis B.
Effects
Protects the brain from memory loss - useful in cases of genetic Alzheimer's disease or other forms of dementia.
Helps speed up the rate of information transmission, thus improving short-term memory; useful for students of all ages when studying for examinations and during the exam itself.
Improves energy levels, helping to sustain liveliness and positive social interaction.
Can raise levels of cooperation and initiative, increasing courage and qualities of leadership.
Improves quality of sleep and awareness during waking hours, creating a balanced cycle.
Can improve eyesight by helping to prevent degenerative factors or repairing damage, such as hardening of the lens and stiffening of the eye muscles.
Helps hearing and eases ringing in the ears by providing extra oxygen to protect the tiny network of cells and blood vessels in the ears.
Eases the discomfort of muscular cramps of any description from premenstrual and birthing cramps to those experienced by joggers, cyclists and walkers.
Makes allergic responses more efficient because Ginkgo not only helps fight invasive bacteria, it also moderates a variety of inappropriate immune system reactions for example, when the immune system becomes oversensitive, Ginkgo can help to regulate an unwanted over-reaction. The results of an over-reaction can be debilitating - asthma and hay fever, skin rashes, runny noses and breathing difficulties. These symptoms can cause the whole body to work less effectively.
Anti-inflammatory action can help reduce painful swellings and aches associated with arthritis, rheumatism and pre-menstrual problems.
Keeps skin looking young, elastic, healthy and wrinkle-free.
Positively influences balance and the production of hormones: premenstrual women can produce too much aldosterone and not enough progesterone, which leads to water retention and other side effects than can cause backache, headache and swollen breasts. Water retention can cause leakage from blood vessels because of the pressure. With plenty of rest and wholesome food (including a little good quality salt), and a healthy, well-functioning bowel and liver, Ginkgo can help women balance these undesirable symptoms, resulting in a happier and calmer state of mind and less physical congestion and less physical congestion.
Helps men who have difficulty maintaining an erect penis, as well as those with prostrate gland and urinary problems.
Case Study : Circulation
Mrs. C. had always had cold extremities and chilblains, and her fingers went 'dead' in the winter. She also had prominent varicose veins that ruptured and bruised if they were knocked even slightly.
In later life she developed high blood pressure. At 67 she consulted her doctor and a herbalist about her problems. To her surprise, both practitioners prescribed Ginkgo biloba and gave other suggestions on diet and exercise. Her doctor offered her standardised tablets of Ginkgo; the herbalist suggested a tincture. After only a few weeks of using the tincture her veins were much better. She no longer feared being knocked by a supermarket cart - normally this would have resulted in severe bleeding and bruising. Overall she felt much warmer, she no longer had 'dead fingers' and she felt more alert and agile in her mind - an unexpected bonus. In addition her blood pressure had so improved that her doctor could consider reducing her blood pressure medication.
Smoking
Ginkgo's ability to scavenge free radicals means that it will make a substantial difference to the potential damage smoking may present. It helps smokers whose circulatory system may become less efficient because of oxygen deprivation. Radioactive substances can be found in many of the fertilisers used in growing tobacco, cumulatively reaching an X-ray's worth of radiation intake each day in some cases for smokers.
Radiation
Air travel and modern electrical appliances such as computers and microwaves may expose people to harmful radiation, so those people at risk should take Ginkgo.
Ginkgo is also capable of reducing estrogenic factors in the blood, free radicals that kill cells by damaging their chromosome make-up; such damaged caused some of the birth defects seen in the aftermath of the radiation leak at Chernobyl, in Russia.
Summary
Ginkgo energises the whole body and satisfies major life requirements. Through its' ability to circulate our blood, it helps to provide us with vital substances such as oxygen, enzymes, sugar and hormones and helps take away undesirable waste products that can cause disease and a quicker ageing process if they are not removed.
Once free radical damage is prevented, this in turn protects our organs from potential damage, Ginkgo helps to prevent platelet-activating factors (PAF) from forming as a response to common allergy reactions. This is a huge help in the treatment of many diseases such as heart disease and asthma.
Proven Results
The French have conducted several studies into how Ginkgo helps to correct poor balance, for example in cases of tinnitus, Ménières disease and extreme vertigo. These studies were carried out at the University of Aix-Marseilles in France. They proved that Ginkgo can help to keep the arteries healthy and blood flow at a premium, thus influencing the semicircular canals in the ears and benefiting balance control. The ears are responsible for much of our balance.
Ginkgo leaves and nuts in general pose no threat to the majority of people if given at a normal dose. No adverse reactions have been recorded to date, but American herbalist Michael Tierra suggests some caution with Ginkgo nuts in his book Planetary Herbology. However, the highly purified extract, which is really a concentration of some of Ginkgo's chemistry, will cause a different reaction from that of the unrefined herb. We only have recent feedback about the effect of the purified extract, compared to the thousands of years of using the crude herb, but no adverse effects have so far been reported.
The Japanese say that all women who pray at a special Ginkgo tree in Sendai will produce plenty of milk to breast feed their babies. The Ginkgo tree is believed to have been planted over the grave of an emperor's wet-nurse, who had promised Buddha that she would provide milk for all women who may not have enough of their own.
Pregnancy
Pregnant women can take Ginkgo leaves without the risk of any side effects; therefore, any woman suffering from high blood pressure, poor circulation or any other general problem related to pregnancy, might well benefit. Certainly the leaves' effect on the immune system is always useful in a situation, such as pregnancy, where antibiotics are not advised.
Ginkgo is also safe for women who are breastfeeding and traditional Chinese herbalists suggested that Ginkgo acts as a good galactogogue, in other words, an herb that encourages milk flow. Ginkgo can also help prevent congestion and 'mastitis' type problems that cause breast inflammation.
Children
Unless children are sick in some way they will not necessarily need Ginkgo. However, it is not bad for them and can certainly be of help with concentration, learning and brain formation. For dyslexic children and adults, it can help neurotransmitter connections in the brain and is recommended for this problem. It is also useful for children with circulatory or immune system problems.
Elderly People
Ginkgo is very beneficial for elderly people. As a 'brain herb' it is ideal for states sometimes associated with the ageing process including:
Narrowing and damage to the arteries and other blood vessels.
Abnormal clotting tendencies of the blood and/or blocked blood vessels.
Leakiness of the tiny blood vessels in the brain tissue.
Ginkgo can help because it can provide oxygen and sugar to the brain and its' antioxidant qualities prevent the deterioration of cells. All this helps to prevent, resolve or moderate problems besetting the elderly including forgetfulness, confusion, anxiety and depression. The elderly often suffer from poor circulation and lowered immunity and Ginkgo works well on both counts. Failing eyesight and hearing can also be age-related problems and Ginkgo may assist in sharpening these senses.
Ginkgo has a unique chemistry that provides protection like no other living plant. The tree also demonstrated remarkable resilience against radiation, low or no sunlight, drought, frost and smog - it even manages to counteract pollution, which takes an awesome and intelligent combination of known (and as yet unknown) plant constituents.
Ginkgo includes a variety of helpful ingredients:
Ginkgolide: a flavonoid shown to counteract and inhibit the platelet activating factor (PAF), a substance released by a range of blood cells when the liver and other areas are sick. These blood cell problems are due to an imbalance in the body; they cause the blood to become stickier an have other side effects including a range of allergic reactions such as excessive inflammation. It is thought that excessive bacterial build-ups could cause a toxic overload that produces this reaction.
Flavonoids that protect the plant from solar radiation damage; as antioxidants or free radical scavengers, they may similarly protect humans by defending the skin and liver. Flavonoids (proathocyanidins, catechins and condensed tannins) are also noted for their cardiovascular protection.
Coumarin accounts for Ginkgo's blood-thinning qualities.
Ginkgolides in small quantities: some of these produce Ginkgo's bitter flavour. According to herbalist Christopher Hobbs, Ginkgolides could be Ginkgo's most interesting properties.
In an article in the Lancet, Vol. 340 examined numerous studies on intermittent claudication (pain while walking), cerebral insufficiency and a wide collection of vascular impairment symptoms including tinnitus. Dosages ranged between 120 and 160mg per day divided into equal doses and taken at mealtimes. Most studies showed that between 30 and 70% of subjects experienced reduced symptoms over a 6-12 week period. No serious side effects were observed and many minor side effects were not statistically significant compared to subjected treated only with a placebo.
Modern research on Ginkgo dates back to the late 1950's when Dr. William Schwabe of the Schwabe Company in West Germany created an extract from the leaf. His results led to what is considered to be the standard Ginkgo, a concentrated extract of 24% flavoneglycosides and 6% terpenoids.
In 1988 Springer-Verlag, a German scientific publishing company, released an English translation of 36 Ginkgo studies collectively entitled Rokan (Ginkgo biloba). Among the variety of topics included was: Platelet Activating Factor-A 1987, a study published in Prostaglandins( Vol. 34, No.5) - this stated that I an eight subject double-blind trial Ginkgo 'significantly inhibited response to the allergens'.
In 1988 the New York Times reported that British researchers had found positive results when using Ginkgolide B for asthma and allergic inflammations, both of which are influenced by PAF (platelet activating factor).
French scientist Pierre Braquet provides a synthesis of the information related to PAF and Ginkgolides in Drugs of the Future. He states that Ginkgolides act in humans as a PAF antagonist.
In 1989 a study published in the Journal of Urology indicated that long-term use of Ginkgo biloba extract may be helpful in the treatment of impotency.
A 1992 Lancet report stated that in vitro studies (studies outside the human body) show that Ginkgo has free radical scavenging properties.
In 1993 Ferrandini, Droy-Lefaix and Christen (editors of Ginkgo biloba extract - Egb 761 - as a Free Radical Scavenger) stated that Ginkgo is an effective antioxidant in the brain and retina, as well as the cardiovascular system.
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Main Effects
Helps to prevent the ageing process in every cell of the body.
Assists the function of body organs that have large amounts of connective tissue, for example, eyes, skin and lungs.
Keeps all blood vessels strong, flexible and decongested so that they are able to deliver nutrients and remove toxins.
