Complementary/Alternative Medicine: This monograph describes a natural or herbal product that is not subject to FDA guidelines for medicines. Patients and clinicians are advised to read package labels carefully to ensure safe and efficacious use.

• Symptomatic relief of organic brain dysfunction (dementia syndromes, short-term memory deficits, inability to concentrate, depression)
• Intermittent claudication
• Vertigo and tinnitus of vascular origin
• Improvement of peripheral circulation
• Premenstrual syndrome

Contraindicated in:

• Hypersensitivity
• Pregnancy and lactation.

Use Cautiously in:

• Bleeding disorders
• Children (fresh seeds have caused seizures and death)
• Diabetes
• Epilepsy; Surgery (discontinue use 2 wk prior).

CNS: CEREBRAL BLEEDING, dizziness, headache, seizure, vertigo.

CV: palpitations.

GI: flatulence, stomach upset.

Derm: allergic skin reaction.

Hemat: bleeding.
Misc: hypersensitivity reactions.

Natural-Drug Products:

• Theoretically may potentiate effects of anticoagulants, thrombolytics, antiplatelet agents, and MAO inhibitors.
• May also ↑ risk of bleeding with some cephalosporins, valproic acid, and NSAIDs.
• May ↓ effectiveness of anticonvulsants.
• May alter insulin metabolism requiring dose adjustments of antidiabetic drugs.

Natural-Natural Products:

• May ↑ risk of bleeding when used with other herbs with antiplatelet effects (including angelica, arnica, chamomile, feverfew, garlic, ginger, and licorice).

• Ginkgo leaf extract (acetone/water): 22–27% flavonoid glycosides; 5–7% terpene lactones; 2.6–3.2% bilobalide; <5 ppm of ginkgolic acids;

Organic Brain Syndromes

• PO (Adults): 120–240 mg ginkgo leaf extract daily in 2 or 3 doses.

Intermittent Claudication

• PO (Adults): 120–240 mg ginkgo leaf extract daily in 2 or 3 doses.

Vertigo and Tinnitus

• PO (Adults): 120–160 mg ginkgo leaf extract daily in 2 or 3 doses.

Cognitive Function Improvement

• PO (Adults): 120–600 mg per day.

Premenstrual Syndrome

• PO (Adults): 80 mg BID starting on the 16th day of the menstrual cycle until the 5th day of the next cycle.

Bai guo ye, fossil tree, ginkgo folium, Japanese silver apricot, kew tree, maidenhair-tree, salisburia adiantifolia, yinhsing

• Improves tolerance to hypoxemia, especially in cerebral tissue.
• Inhibits development of cerebral edema and accelerates its regression.
• Improves memory, blood flow (microcirculation), compensation of disequilibrium, and rheological properties of blood.
• Inactivates toxic oxygen radicals.
• Antagonizes platelet-activating factor.
• Interferes with bronchoconstriction and phagocyte chemotaxis.

• Symptomatic relief of dementia syndromes.
• Inhibits arterial spasm, decreases capillary fragility and blood viscosity.
• Improves venous tone, relaxes vascular smooth muscle.

Therapeutic Classification: antiplatelet agents, central nervous system stimulants

Absorption: 70–100% absorption.

Distribution: Unknown.

Metabolism/Excretion: Unknown.

Half-life: Unknown.

• Advise patient to observe for easy bruising and other signs of bleeding and report to health care professional if they occur.
• Caution patient to keep this herb out of the reach of children; may cause seizures.
• Caution patient to avoid handling the pulp or seed coats because of the risk of contact dermatitis. Wash skin under free-flowing water promptly if contact does occur.
• Instruct patient not to exceed recommended doses; large doses may result in toxicity (restlessness, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, headache).
• Notify patients receiving anticoagulant or antiplatelet therapy not to take this medication without approval of health care professional and frequent monitoring.
• Instruct patient to consult health care professional before taking any prescription or OTC medications concurrently with ginkgo.

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