Focuses on the therapeutic effects of the herbal extract ginkgo
biloba. Results of the study on the herb which was published by the
American Medical Association; Cause of the herb's therapeutic results;
Use of the herb by the Chinese.
By
PT Staff, published on March 01, 1998
Suffering from a nasty cold? Drink some fresh ginger root tea. Got
badbreath? Rinse your mouth with red sage boiled in water. Tired of
brushing dandruff on your collar? Try washing your hair out daily with
some fresh rosemary and sage.
If these herbal remedies sound hopelessly hokey, you might want to
think again. Many recent and reliable studies have shown direct positive
effects of herbal therapies on various diseases, and a number of European
nations have already officially embraced many herbal treatments for
conditions such as depression and Alzheimer's. In short, herbal therapy
is making a comeback.
One of the most highly recognized recent studies on herbal therapy
was published last October by the Journal of the American Medical
Association on the effects of an herbal extract called Ginkgo biloba.
Patients suffering from dementia (caused by Alzheimer's or strokes) were
given the Ginkgo biloba extract for 52 weeks and one third showed
significant improvement. After six months of use, the extract was found
to slow the progression of Alzheimer's in some patients. Researchers
theorize that ginkgo's antioxidant compounds neutralize destructive free
radicals in the body. It is also known that ginkgo increases circulation
in the brain. This study illustrates the growing recognition of herbal
therapy on the western medical scene.
According to Joseph Chang and Michael Chang, researchers for a
company called Pharmanex, ginkgo's therapeutic results are due to the
existence of two distinct compounds in the extract called terpene
lactones and ginkgo flavone glycosides. The herb's ability to improve
peripheral and cerebral blood flow may be the work of both these tongue"
twisting compounds. The ginkgo flavonoids are credited with slowing of
the aging process due to their antioxidant properties, known to disarm
tissue-damaging free radicals in the body.
But for the Chinese, this is nothing new. The ginkgo tree is two
million years old, and extracts from the tree have been used for
thousands of years for treatment of asthma, tuberculosis, and memory loss
due to aging. In the twentieth century, Europeans began to recognize its
effectiveness in improving blood circulation and mental performance.
Ginkgo does more than keep blood vessels strong and clean up free
radicals. It fights allergic inflammation by stopping the action that
turns the immune system against itself. Ginkgo is becoming one of the
most popular healing herb today in America.
PHOTO (COLOR): GINKGO TREE
