Ginkgo Biloba , Maidenhair Tree

Internal use

Blood circulation : Ginkgo constitutes one of the best remedies to improve blood circulation. The reason is the power the extracts of this plant have to dilate blood vessels what makes blood circulate more flowingly. It seems that flavonoids exercise a vasodilator action on the walls of the arteries and capillaries at the same time that they prevent platelets to deposit inside them. This property can be used to cure a series of illnesses based on a bad circulation. Among all they, we would would mention some important ones as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, or bad circulation in general, so much in grown-ups as in young people that begin to notice circulation problems for the first time. Other more located ailments would be:

-Bad circulation in the legs: Bad circulation in the legs is the reason of most of pains and fatigue in the inferior extremities. With the ginkgo circulation can be improved to avoid these nuisances.

It has been proved the use of the extracts of this plant can improve one of the the most painful circulatory illnesses in the legs that generally appears among the grown-ups: intermittent claudication. This illness consists on a narrowing of the arteries of the legs, caused by atherosclerosis , that produces a deficient sanguine circulation because of the little oxygen that arrives to the muscles and, therefore legs hurt after exercise or walking, even with little effort. (The habitual dose is about 120 mg a day distributed in three takings)

Equally, as a consequence of bad circulation in the legs, it is very habitual in certain people to experience cramps in the calves when they are in the bed, mainly at night or at dawn when stretching the legs. (The administration of the same dose can help to solve the problem)

Bad circulation in the coronary arteries: Lack of irrigation of the heart as a result of the obstruction of the coronary arteries can be responsible for heart attacks. Without being so pessimistic, a faulty flow of blood to the heart muscle can produce arrhythmias, fast breathing and pain in the chest. (Take 60 to 240 mg daily distributed in 3 takings)

Bad circulation in the head: Bad circulation in the brain accounts for many serious paralyzing illnesses . One of the most dangerous are brain hemorrhages that can produce the death or paralysis of some parts of the body. The ginkgo extract improves the circulation of the brain capillaries and increases their resistance . The administration of 60 to 240 daily mg of this product does not only prevent strokes but it also avoids an entire series of symptoms associated with a bad circulation in the head: vertigo, faulty speech, memory problems, concentration lack, migraine , etc.

Equally it can be used to combat the Alzheimer disease, not only by improving brain irrigation but but because of its antioxidant properties that are able to combat free radicals, responsible for cell deterioration and the appearance of many degenerative illnesses. The degeneration of the cells of the brain could influence in the appearance of this illness. ( 60 to 240 daily mg of extracts of leaves in 3 doses distributed along the day). The Raynaud phenomenon produces a bad circulation in the extremities so that fingers and toes become purple or whitish, especially when they are cold. The administration of ginkgo extract in the doses before recommended can help to improve the circulation in the extremities.

Bad circulation in the eyes: Hardening of blood vessels can cause bad circulation in the the eye, producing the lost of vision because of macular degeneration. An inadequate feeding together with some aggressive environmental conditions and the own oxidation of the organism is the cause of the appearance of free radicals that can affect many body organs including eyes which are one the most sensitive . (About 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo distributed in three doses)

Allergy: Ginkgo contains a series of components that inhibit the Platelet activating factor (PAF ) responsible for the inflammatory processes that unchain many illnesses of the immunologic system as the allergy or the asthma. (About 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo distributed in three doses)

Depression: The administration of ginkgo extract is suitable to treat depression in grown-ups, when this illness is related with a wrong brain irrigation . By improving circulation, a bigger contribution of blood takes place to the cells of the brain, which improves the depressive processes.

To combat hangover: There are studies that demonstrate that the administration of extracts of ginkgo seeds can help to overcome the symptoms of hangover, since they contain enzymes that metabolize alcohol more quickly.

Hair fall: Frequently, The falling of the hair takes place because of a bad blood circulation in hair follicle .By Ingesting 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo in three doses , we can increase irrigation in the pilous follicle and stop or delay alopecia.

Menopause: Many studies suggest that ginkgo extracts can be positive in the treatment of the negative symptoms of menstruation like anxiety, depression, breast swelling , increase of weight, irritability, etc.

Edible plant : The " fruit " is covered with a sticky smelly pulp. Inside it there is a very hard protection covering a sort of almond or nut. This nut is the only eatable part of the fruit, after we have removed with hot water the peel that surrounds it. These nuts were used as food in China and in Japan because of their nutritious power since they are very rich in carbohydrates. They are served toasted.

The rest of the " fruit " is irritating. (See toxicity details at the end of the article)

Doses should be administered as recommended in the prospectus . Administered correctly, it doesn't usually produce contraindications. If taken in bigger quantities it can produce sleep problems, edginess, vomits or diarrhea. Sometimes it produces headache in the two first days of the treatment. In some cases, even using the admitted doses, it can produce the same symptoms mentioned previously. These symptoms usually disappear soon. If they continue , leave the treatment and consult the doctor. Its capacity to produce drowsiness should be kept in mind when driving vehicles or working with dangerous machines. In the event of pregnancy or nursing, take medical advice . It should not be used with children younger than 2.

Its administration together with other medicines that fluidify the blood, as aspirins, warfarin or heparin, could produce bleeding problems . For this reason ginkgo extracts should not be taken some days before having an operation or during a couple of months after it . It should also be avoided by hemophiliac people or those who present some blood clotting problem.

Only standardized controlled products should be bought . It is sold in form of pills, capsules, liquid, dye or powder. Homemade preparations of ginkgo leaves can be toxic and they can produce allergy. In the process of elaboration of the standardized extract the components that unchain the allergic processes are eliminated .

Although a kind of eatable nut appears inside its " fruit" , the rest of it is toxic. Its contact with the skin can produce dermatitis and its ingestion can cause interior lesions in the digestive apparatus. However, its nauseous scent prevents people from tasting eat.

The " fruits " can produce allergic reactions.

The ginkgo is the oldest tree in the world. It is the only alive representative of a family that existed more than 200 million years ago. We find written references of its existence in the XI century, but there are living samples at the present time more than 1000 years old. Fossils found demonstrate that it lived with the dinosaurs. The first sample was discovered in 1916. It was F. Meyer, an American explorer, who found it in a hidden valley in China. The reason of its survival, apart from a natural resistance to the parasites and the pestilence of its" fruits " that made it not to be eaten by animals, it is in the fact that it has been considered as a sacred plant in China . This is the reason why it was planted around the temples and received such a great veneration.

Its reproduction form is very old. Superior plants ( angiosperms) posses seeds that are locked in the fruits which are swelled mature ovaries. At the age of 30, more or less, The female species of ginkgo produce a kind of a yellow " egg " before being fecundated by the male pollen. Naturally many of these " eggs " are sterile and they rot without producing any descendants.

It is not necessary that fecundation takes place on the tree but it can also be carried out in the floor, once the "egg" has received the pollen brought by the wind. The " eggs " contain a single seed that needs to enter in contact with the male pollen to mature. Contrary to the rest of the seeds of the vegetable world ,it is not able to resist a period of time without germinating, so that, if it doesn't enter in contact with the male pollen, it will rot. For this reason, it is not still considered as a real seed. This reproduction species is very primitive, it supposes a very big waste of energy and it doesn't resemble at all to the reproduction of the superior trees that is carried out from true seeds. The leaves are contained in groups of 3-5 on some special stems , just as it happens with the pines. In fact this tree, the same as the pines, the firs or the redwoods, is a gymnosperm, that is to say a plant that reproduces from exposed seeds or ovules. The superior plants or angiosperms , ( plants with flowers) have seeds locked in the fruits that are produced by the fecundated ovaries . So, in superior plants fruits are only produced when flowers are fecundated. Ginkgos produce a sort of false fruits previously to fecundation. In fact most of them become rotten before being fecundated.


	Common noun : Ginkgo, Maidenhair Tree
	Scientific noun : Gingko biloba L. = Salisburia adiantifolia Smith . The word comes from the Chinese " yah-chio " (foot of duck, for the form of its leaves). This name became in Japanese " ginkyo ". other studies seem to suggest that the name comes from the Japanese "Yin Kuo" that means apricot of gold and makes reference to the nuts that appear inside its false fruit.
	Family. Ginkgoaceae
	Habitat: Plant from China. (In the state of Chekiang some wild samples still exist). In the rest it is used like a cultivated plant in parks and gardens.
	Characteristics: Deciduous dioecious tree of the ginkgoaceae family up 30 m. Male trees with a pyramidal form ; female ones broader in the superior part. Erect trunks with gray furrowed bark. Coriaceous leaves, glabrous, green yellowish, till 12 cm wide and 10 long, flabellate, with two lobes (bilobulate, whereof the name " biloba" comes), nerves springing from the petiole in form of rays. Male and female flowers in different trees. The male ones in yellow catkins and more numerous that the feminine ones that are born in couples or isolated on long peduncles. False fruits in eatable drupe till 5 cm long , rounded or ovoid, yellowish when they mature and with very bad scent. They contain two seeds protected by a hard bone.

	Components: Acids: oleic, ascorbic, aspartic, palmitic, alpha-linoleic, estearic, gadoleic, citric, ginkgolic ,(seeds) Sugars: Raffinose (flower) sucrose, fructose (Seed) Amino-acids: Arginine, methionine, cysteine, cystine, valine , isoleucine, leucine, phenylalanine, lycine, triptophan, serine, (seeds) apigenin (leaves) Flavonoids: Quercetin, ginkgetol, kaempferol, Vitamins: Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C), thiamine (B1) (Seed) Fiber (Plant) Minerals: Potassium, phosphorous, calcium, iron, copper, magnesium, manganese, sodium, zinc (seeds)

	Internal use Blood circulation : Ginkgo constitutes one of the best remedies to improve blood circulation. The reason is the power the extracts of this plant have to dilate blood vessels what makes blood circulate more flowingly. It seems that flavonoids exercise a vasodilator action on the walls of the arteries and capillaries at the same time that they prevent platelets to deposit inside them. This property can be used to cure a series of illnesses based on a bad circulation. Among all they, we would would mention some important ones as arteriosclerosis, hypertension, or bad circulation in general, so much in grown-ups as in young people that begin to notice circulation problems for the first time. Other more located ailments would be: -Bad circulation in the legs: Bad circulation in the legs is the reason of most of pains and fatigue in the inferior extremities. With the ginkgo circulation can be improved to avoid these nuisances. It has been proved the use of the extracts of this plant can improve one of the the most painful circulatory illnesses in the legs that generally appears among the grown-ups: intermittent claudication. This illness consists on a narrowing of the arteries of the legs, caused by atherosclerosis , that produces a deficient sanguine circulation because of the little oxygen that arrives to the muscles and, therefore legs hurt after exercise or walking, even with little effort. (The habitual dose is about 120 mg a day distributed in three takings) Equally, as a consequence of bad circulation in the legs, it is very habitual in certain people to experience cramps in the calves when they are in the bed, mainly at night or at dawn when stretching the legs. (The administration of the same dose can help to solve the problem) Bad circulation in the coronary arteries: Lack of irrigation of the heart as a result of the obstruction of the coronary arteries can be responsible for heart attacks. Without being so pessimistic, a faulty flow of blood to the heart muscle can produce arrhythmias, fast breathing and pain in the chest. (Take 60 to 240 mg daily distributed in 3 takings) Bad circulation in the head: Bad circulation in the brain accounts for many serious paralyzing illnesses . One of the most dangerous are brain hemorrhages that can produce the death or paralysis of some parts of the body. The ginkgo extract improves the circulation of the brain capillaries and increases their resistance . The administration of 60 to 240 daily mg of this product does not only prevent strokes but it also avoids an entire series of symptoms associated with a bad circulation in the head: vertigo, faulty speech, memory problems, concentration lack, migraine , etc. Equally it can be used to combat the Alzheimer disease, not only by improving brain irrigation but but because of its antioxidant properties that are able to combat free radicals, responsible for cell deterioration and the appearance of many degenerative illnesses. The degeneration of the cells of the brain could influence in the appearance of this illness. ( 60 to 240 daily mg of extracts of leaves in 3 doses distributed along the day). The Raynaud phenomenon produces a bad circulation in the extremities so that fingers and toes become purple or whitish, especially when they are cold. The administration of ginkgo extract in the doses before recommended can help to improve the circulation in the extremities. Bad circulation in the eyes: Hardening of blood vessels can cause bad circulation in the the eye, producing the lost of vision because of macular degeneration. An inadequate feeding together with some aggressive environmental conditions and the own oxidation of the organism is the cause of the appearance of free radicals that can affect many body organs including eyes which are one the most sensitive . (About 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo distributed in three doses) Allergy: Ginkgo contains a series of components that inhibit the Platelet activating factor (PAF ) responsible for the inflammatory processes that unchain many illnesses of the immunologic system as the allergy or the asthma. (About 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo distributed in three doses) Depression: The administration of ginkgo extract is suitable to treat depression in grown-ups, when this illness is related with a wrong brain irrigation . By improving circulation, a bigger contribution of blood takes place to the cells of the brain, which improves the depressive processes. To combat hangover: There are studies that demonstrate that the administration of extracts of ginkgo seeds can help to overcome the symptoms of hangover, since they contain enzymes that metabolize alcohol more quickly. Hair fall: Frequently, The falling of the hair takes place because of a bad blood circulation in hair follicle .By Ingesting 120 mg a day of extract of Ginkgo in three doses , we can increase irrigation in the pilous follicle and stop or delay alopecia. Menopause: Many studies suggest that ginkgo extracts can be positive in the treatment of the negative symptoms of menstruation like anxiety, depression, breast swelling , increase of weight, irritability, etc. Other uses Edible plant : The " fruit " is covered with a sticky smelly pulp. Inside it there is a very hard protection covering a sort of almond or nut. This nut is the only eatable part of the fruit, after we have removed with hot water the peel that surrounds it. These nuts were used as food in China and in Japan because of their nutritious power since they are very rich in carbohydrates. They are served toasted. The rest of the " fruit " is irritating. (See toxicity details at the end of the article) Contraindications: Doses should be administered as recommended in the prospectus . Administered correctly, it doesn't usually produce contraindications. If taken in bigger quantities it can produce sleep problems, edginess, vomits or diarrhea. Sometimes it produces headache in the two first days of the treatment. In some cases, even using the admitted doses, it can produce the same symptoms mentioned previously. These symptoms usually disappear soon. If they continue , leave the treatment and consult the doctor. Its capacity to produce drowsiness should be kept in mind when driving vehicles or working with dangerous machines. In the event of pregnancy or nursing, take medical advice . It should not be used with children younger than 2. Its administration together with other medicines that fluidify the blood, as aspirins, warfarin or heparin, could produce bleeding problems . For this reason ginkgo extracts should not be taken some days before having an operation or during a couple of months after it . It should also be avoided by hemophiliac people or those who present some blood clotting problem. Only standardized controlled products should be bought . It is sold in form of pills, capsules, liquid, dye or powder. Homemade preparations of ginkgo leaves can be toxic and they can produce allergy. In the process of elaboration of the standardized extract the components that unchain the allergic processes are eliminated . Toxicity Although a kind of eatable nut appears inside its " fruit" , the rest of it is toxic. Its contact with the skin can produce dermatitis and its ingestion can cause interior lesions in the digestive apparatus. However, its nauseous scent prevents people from tasting eat. The " fruits " can produce allergic reactions. Curiosities: Ginkgo, a living fossil The ginkgo is the oldest tree in the world. It is the only alive representative of a family that existed more than 200 million years ago. We find written references of its existence in the XI century, but there are living samples at the present time more than 1000 years old. Fossils found demonstrate that it lived with the dinosaurs. The first sample was discovered in 1916. It was F. Meyer, an American explorer, who found it in a hidden valley in China. The reason of its survival, apart from a natural resistance to the parasites and the pestilence of its" fruits " that made it not to be eaten by animals, it is in the fact that it has been considered as a sacred plant in China . This is the reason why it was planted around the temples and received such a great veneration. Its reproduction form is very old. Superior plants ( angiosperms) posses seeds that are locked in the fruits which are swelled mature ovaries. At the age of 30, more or less, The female species of ginkgo produce a kind of a yellow " egg " before being fecundated by the male pollen. Naturally many of these " eggs " are sterile and they rot without producing any descendants. It is not necessary that fecundation takes place on the tree but it can also be carried out in the floor, once the "egg" has received the pollen brought by the wind. The " eggs " contain a single seed that needs to enter in contact with the male pollen to mature. Contrary to the rest of the seeds of the vegetable world ,it is not able to resist a period of time without germinating, so that, if it doesn't enter in contact with the male pollen, it will rot. For this reason, it is not still considered as a real seed. This reproduction species is very primitive, it supposes a very big waste of energy and it doesn't resemble at all to the reproduction of the superior trees that is carried out from true seeds. The leaves are contained in groups of 3-5 on some special stems , just as it happens with the pines. In fact this tree, the same as the pines, the firs or the redwoods, is a gymnosperm, that is to say a plant that reproduces from exposed seeds or ovules. The superior plants or angiosperms , ( plants with flowers) have seeds locked in the fruits that are produced by the fecundated ovaries . So, in superior plants fruits are only produced when flowers are fecundated. Ginkgos produce a sort of false fruits previously to fecundation. In fact most of them become rotten before being fecundated. More information about ginkgo
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