The ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) is a botanical one-off: neither a broadleaf tree nor a conifer, but the only surviving species of a plant group that was widespread some 200 million years ago. In China it is a temple tree; in Europe it was introduced in the eighteenth century and now stands in many cities because it tolerates exhaust fumes and cramped sites unusually well.
The leaf
Its signature is the fan-shaped leaf with a notch in the middle – hence the species name biloba, two-lobed. What is used are the green leaves harvested in late summer, not the seeds: their fleshy coat smells markedly unpleasant and contains compounds that can irritate the skin. In East Asian cooking the cleaned kernel is eaten, but that is a different use from the leaf.
What is in the leaf
The characteristic constituents are flavone glycosides and the terpene lactones – ginkgolides and bilobalide, which occur in no other plant. Standardised extracts are set to those two groups; this is why ginkgo, more than most plants, is distinguished between leaf powder and special extract. The leaf also naturally contains ginkgolic acid, which extracts limit to very low levels for good reason.
Our ginkgo
The Organic Ginkgo Biloba contains milled leaf powder from certified organic cultivation in plant-based capsules, without fillers. More plants of this kind are listed under Medicinal Plants; thematically you will find ginkgo under Brain & Memory.
Note – particularly important here
Ginkgo can affect the action of anticoagulant medication. If you take anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs, have surgery coming up or have a bleeding disorder, do not take ginkgo without medical advice. The same applies in pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Food supplements are not a substitute for a varied diet; do not exceed the stated daily intake.
