Ginkgo herb shows neurological benefit

Two recent studies have highlighted the potential benefits of the German Dr Willmar Schwabe Company's patented ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 in treating Alzheimer's disease and preventing damage during stroke.

A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study enrolled 410 out-patients suffering from mild-to-moderate AD or vascular dementia who received either a once-daily dose of 240mg of EGb 761 or a corresponding placebo. During the observation period of 24 weeks, EGb 761 improved both cognitive functioning and neuropsychiatric symptoms of the patients significantly. Similar improvements were found in all other outcome measures. EGb 761 was also very well tolerated with comparable adverse event rates in both treatment groups.

Meantime, researchers at the US Johns Hopkins University gave 100mg/kg of EGb 761 orally once daily for seven days to normal mice and mice lacking the gene that produces the enzyme heme oxygenase-1, that has been shown to act as an antioxidant and have a protective effect against inflammation in animal models, before inducing stroke in the mice by briefly blocking an artery to one side of the brain. After stroke induction, the mice were tested for brain function and brain damage.