Ginkgo ... not just memory

The ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is possibly the oldest tree in existence. Surviving the ice age, it is the last representative of the ginkgoaceae family to which it belongs, which is why it is considered a living fossil. For the people of Southeast China it is the “tree of wisdom”. It grows spontaneously in China, Japan and Korea, and in Europe it has adapted well to cultivation, forming part of the landscape of many parks and gardens.

Is a very hardy treeSince it is not known to be attacked by any disease, it supports pollution, fire, lack of light, low temperatures and even radioactivity. When the first of the atomic bombs exploded in Hiroshima in 1945, some ginkgos that were in a Buddhist temple near the explosion were destroyed, however they sprouted again the following year living to this day. At the foot of one of them an inscription was placed: “no more Hiroshima”.

Plant

The ginkgo is a dioecious tree, that is, of which there are male and female feet. Although its average height is 13 to 17 meters, it can grow up to 30-40 meters in height, and its trunk can measure up to 4 meters in circumference. The bark of the tree is grayish-brown in color, with deep, rough grooves. Its branches grow horizontally forming a conical crown. The leaves are alternate, bilobed (two lobes) and greenish, fan-shaped.

In autumn the leaves turn a golden yellow color giving the treetops a luminous appearance and they fall almost all at once, covering the land with a beautiful yellow carpet. The fruit, of a size similar to that of a plum, it has a fleshy appearance, it is yellow-green in color and when it falls it gives off a characteristic odor that can be unpleasant.

History: the name and uses

The term ginkgo derives from Chinese, comes to mean "golden apricot" and is likely to refer to the intense yellow-golden color that its glass presents in autumn. Due to the interest of its properties, its leaves were used as a commercial exchange currency, which is why it was also known as the “tree of 40 shields”. The term biloba, refers to the bilobed appearance of its leaves. It is believed that it arrived in Europe in the early 18th century, by the hand of the German scientist Engelbert Kämpfer, who brought it from Japan and described it for the first time. Around 1730, a specimen was planted in the Utrecht botanical garden. In 1815 Goethe, who had a ginkgo planted in his garden, immortalized it in a poem singing its fascinating beauty.

The leaves of this tree that, from the East to my garden come, they adorn it now, an arcane sense they have, that the wise of reflection give you obvious matter.

Is this strange tree some living being that one day divided into two halves? Or two beings who understood each other so much, to merge into one being they decide?

The key to this haunting enigma I think I have found it within myself: Don't you guess yourself, from my songs, that I am single and double like this tree?

Current uses

There are several medicines based on standardized extracts of Ginkgo leaves, which are indicated to improve blood circulation, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) or symptoms associated with cramps and a feeling of cold in the legs, pain in the legs due to poor circulation and hemorrhoids. They can also improve certain visual problems associated with diabetes and senile macular degeneration. In these cases it should always be prescribed by a doctor.

It has traditionally been used for relief from hemorrhoids, varicose veins and to improve the. Regarding its memory activity, studies generally show that ginkgo can improve memory and concentration loss associated with age. As for people who do not suffer from memory loss, it seems that it can improve, but in a modest way, the ability to concentrate and memorize as well as the speed of mental processing in moments of study or in which greater mental effort is required .

The self-medication without advice from a health professional, because there are certain contraindications and that it can interact with various medications. See sections on "Contraindications and interactions" and "Unwanted effects and recommendations".

How to take it

It is advisable to take standardized preparations in active principles to ensure efficacy and avoid side effects. It is usually found in the form of drops of liquid extracts or in capsules of dry extracts. In both cases, the doses prescribed by the doctor must be followed or, in the case of products that do not require a medical prescription, the indications of the manufacturing laboratory.

Why is it not taken in herbal tea?

Its use in the form of herbal teas is not recommended because sufficient concentrations of active principles are not reached and, on the other hand, there is a risk that together with the leaves there is part of the external coating of the seeds, which contain a higher proportion of acid ginkgolide, which can cause some.

Contraindications and interactions

Ginkgo preparations should not be used during pregnancy, if you have epilepsy or seizure diseases (unless your doctor tells you otherwise), if you have bleeding disorders or you need to undergo surgery because ginkgo can slow blood clotting and cause more blood loss during or after Surgery. In the latter case, it should be stopped two weeks before the intervention.

Ginkgo can interact with blood-thinning medications (acenocoumarol, warfarin, etc.) increasing its effect, and with the usual non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (acetylsalicylic acid, ibuprofen, etc.), increasing the risk of bleeding that they may have.

Ginkgo preparations are generally well tolerated. Rarely, some cases of gastrointestinal upset and headache have been described (generally due to the use of high doses). Some people may have a ginkgo allergy.

It should not be administered for more than eight weeks in a row, except as directed by the doctor.

• There are several medicines based on standardized extracts of ginkgo leaves, which are indicated to improve blood circulation, vertigo, tinnitus ...
• Regarding its activity on memory, studies generally show that it can improve memory loss and concentration associated with age.
• It is taken in the form of drops of liquid extracts or in capsules of dry extracts, according to a doctor's prescription or the manufacturer's advice. It is not taken in herbal tea.

Maria Jose Alonso OsorioMember of medicinal plants and homeopathy of the College of Pharmacists of Barcelona