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Benefits:
• Elasticity of blood vessels
• Memory
• Reduces the ‘stickiness’ of blood
• Promotes the delivery of additional Oxygen and Glucose to nerve cells
Ginkgo Biloba helps to increase blood flow by controlling the tone and elasticity of blood vessels. It also reduces the 'stickiness' of blood, promotes the delivery of additional oxygen and glucose to nerve cells.
Clinically Ginkgo extract is useful for atherosclerosis, ischemia, cardiac arrhythmia's, reprofusion injury, strokes, coronary shock, vascular insufficiency and peripheral heart disease.
Ginkgo Biloba is one of the oldest living tree species, dating back over 300 million years, and individual trees can live for over 1,000 years. In China, extracts of the fruit and leaves of the Ginkgo tree have been used for over 5,000 years to treat lung ailments, such as asthma and bronchitis, and as a remedy for cardiovascular diseases.
Recently, western researchers have been studying Ginkgo Biloba as a treatment for senility, hardening of the arteries, and as a treatment for oxygen deprivation. More than 34 human studies on Ginkgo have been published since 1975, showing, among other things, that Ginkgo can increase the body's production of the universal energy molecule adenosine triphosphate, commonly called ATP.
The most active and well researched components of the ginkgo leaf are the Ginkgo flavone glycosides or Ginkgo heterosides. The extract of the leaf has been standardized to contain 24% Ginkgo heterosides. These, however, are not the only active components of the leaf extract. Ginkgo extract has proanthocyanidins which act as free radical scavengers. Terpene molecules such as ginkgolides and bilobalide make up 6% of the extract. There are also organic acids which help in the solubility of the flavonoid and Terpene components of the extract. Ginkgo extract has been extensively studied in Europe where it represents 1 and 1.5 percent of the prescriptions written in Germany and France respectively.
The research on Ginkgo extract has yielded three main areas of activity:
1) Dilation of Blood Vessels
Ginkgo inhibits an enzyme that causes blood vessel relaxation. It also acts with receptors in the vascular endothelium to release endothelium-derived relaxing factor and the prostaglandin, prostacyclin. Greater tone in the venous system improves circulation in ischemic areas where toxic metabolites build up and oxidation of lipid components is more likely to occur. The effect of Ginkgo extract is more pronounced in areas of ischemia than in normally perfuse tissue (Pietri et al (1997) J. Mol. Cell Cardiol 29: 733-724).
2) Inhibition of platelet activating factor (PAF)
PAF is involved in platelet aggregation, neutrophil degranulation and activation, enhancing vascular permeability, smooth muscle contraction and reduction of coronary blood flow. Ginkgo extract competes with PAF for binding sites and inhibits many of the PAF actions.
3) Antioxidant activity
Ginkgo extract is involved in the prevention of free radicals. It inhibits lipid peroxidation of lipid membranes and scavenges superoxide, hydroxyl and peroxyl radicals. In a 1997 study, Ginkgo was shown to have an inhibitory effect on nitric oxide (NO) in macrophages (Kobuchi et al Biochem Pharmacol 53;6:897-903).
Dosage:
Take 1 tablet daily, just after a meal, or as directed by a practitioner.
Please note: Do not take if pregnant or breast feeding
Supplement Facts |
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Serving Size: 1 Tablet |
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Serving Per Container: 180 Tablets |
Amount Per Serving Information |
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Ingredient |
Amount per serving |
%Daily Value |
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Ginkgo Biloba Leaves |
120 mg |
* |
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Flavonglycosides |
28.8 mg |
* |
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Ginkgolides A, B and C and Bilobalide |
7.2 mg |
* |
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*Daily Value not established |
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Other Ingredients: Dicalcium Phosphate, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Ginkgo Biloba Extract, Silicon Dioxide, Tablet Coating (Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Glycerin, Glazing Agent: Carnauba Wax), Stearic Acid, Magnesium Stearate. |
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