Evidence supports ginkgo's future in dementia
8 January 2003
A large scale review of clinical trials involving ginkgo biloba therapy in people with dementia has found evidence of improvement to thinking processes and function.
Conducted by the respected Cochrane Collaboration, the review looked at 33 clinical trials conducted in the last 26 years, which had compared ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree) extract with placebo (dummy medication).
(The Cochrane Collaboration is an international organisation aimed at helping people make well-informed decisions about healthcare by undertaking scientific reviews of evidence for certain treatments.)
The review found promising evidence that ginkgo produced improvement in people with dementia, with no excess side effects compared to placebo.
'Evidence like this allows people to have wider options in their choice of treatment', said executive director of the Complementary Healthcare Council of Australia, Val Johanson.
Ginkgo biloba is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine made from the leaves of the maidenhair tree. A standardised extract of ginkgo is prescribed widely in France and Germany for a range of conditions including confusion, memory and concentration problems, anxiety and headache.
Last Reviewed: 08 January 2003
