| Scientific Review of Ginkgo Finds "Promising Evidence" in Improving Memory in Older Patients with Dementia (Austin, TX. December 9, 2002). Popular dietary supplements made of standardized concentrated extract of ginkgo leaf show promise in helping to improve memory associated with dementia in older patients, according to a major scientific review of 33 clinical trials. Researchers at the Cochrane Collaboration at Oxford University in England reviewed and evaluated human clinical trials on standardized concentrated extracts of ginkgo leaf.[1] The researchers focused on 33 clinical studies that it considered of acceptable design, size and quality and concluded that the herbal extract "appears to be safe in use with no excessive side effects." The trials lasted from 3 to 52 weeks, with most being 12 weeks. According to a statement released by the Cochrane group, overall, "there is promising evidence of improvement in cognition and function associated with Ginkgo."[2] The statement also noted that many of the earlier trials on ginkgo were relatively small studies, had some design flaws, and/or used unsatisfactory testing methods. Also, the question of publication bias could not be excluded. Funding for the scientific evaluation was provided by the Alzheimer's Society of England in cooperation with Oxford University. "Ginkgo standardized extract is approved as a medicine in several European countries for a variety of health conditions, primarily to treat memory loss and dementia associated with aging," said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the nonprofit American Botanical Council. The psychological and physiological benefits of ginkgo are based on its primary action of regulating brain chemicals called neurotransmitters and exerting neuroprotective effects in the brain -- protecting against or retarding nerve cell degeneration. Ginkgo also benefits vascular microcirculation by improving blood flow in small vessels. It also has antioxidant activity. "There has been much public confusion about the true benefits of ginkgo," said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director ABC. Media reports about a ginkgo clinical trial [3] published in August in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) sent consumers a confusing message. The trial concluded that a leading ginkgo supplement did not produce measurable benefits for memory in healthy adults over 60. However, a month earlier, another study [4] concluded that the same ginkgo extract is effective in helping normal healthy older adults in memory and concentration. "Unfortunately, the public's impression from the news generated by the JAMA was uncertainty about ginkgo's scientifically documented benefits," said Blumenthal. "Now, the Cochrane Collaboration, the world's most respected scientific reviewer of clinical trials in medicine, has concluded that the published literature strongly supports the safety and potential benefits of ginkgo in treating memory loss and cognitive disorders associated with age-related dementia." |
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