In this season of remembrance, we’re taking a look at a herb that has become renowned with enhancing memory and cognitive ability: Ginkgo biloba, which you may also know as the Maidenhair tree.

Ginkgo autumn colour

Ginkgo is especially beautiful at this time of the year, its fan-shaped leaves turn yellow and scatter gracefully as they fall. I recently saw a lovely example at Nature in Art, near Twigworth in Gloucestershire, but you may be able to find one closer to home.

With it’s Jurassic-like appearance, you won’t be too surprised that it’s one of the oldest tree species in the world, dating back over 200 million years. It’s been found in fossils that predate mammals. Ginkgo biloba is believed to be the only surviving member of the ancient Ginkgoaceae family and, despite itself being deciduous, is credited as the ancestor of all conifers.

Certainly one to tip your hat at when you see it, as I do whenever I walk along my local road where there is, unusually, a Ginkgo nestled in the hedge, just along opposite the police station! A curious place for a curious tree, but as its survival is attributed to its ability to resist attack from disease, pests and pollution, perhaps we should be looking to plant more roadside Ginkgos.

The Silver Apricot

Native to China and Japan (where it’s known as Ginkyo, or ‘silver apricot’), seeds were brought to the UK by 18^th Century plant hunters. The descriptor ‘biloba’ means ‘two-lobed’ referring to the split in the leaves.

Naturally this means there won’t be mentions of Ginkgo in the writings of older western herbalists, such as Culpeper who practised in the 17^th Century. But it’s also not much mentioned by early 20^th Century herbalists, such as Maud Grieve. Which makes it quite surprising that Ginkgo has become such a well-known herbal remedy today.

A modern medicinal

There are traditional uses of Ginkgo in Chinese medicine, but these are for the nut, and it was not a dominant treatment, just occasionally used as a respiratory tract remedy.

Fascination with the leaf as a herbal remedy came about in the 1960’s as a result of pharmaceutical research.

A concentrated extract of Ginkgo leaf was developed by a German pharmaceutical company. In lab conditions they were able to make a very strong extract of 50:1 i.e., 50g of herb in every millilitre of liquid – a lot more intense that the typical home-made herbal tincture concentration of between 1g and 3g of plant in each millilitre of liquid. As the popularity of this slow-growing tree has grown, it is questionable whether harvesting the level of material required for commercial purposes is appropriate.

The gifts of Ginkgo

The popularity of Ginkgo is in part due to variety of applications it can be put to, but primarily it has risen in fame as a supporter of mental health and brain function. This is enabled by the interplay of its circulatory and anti-oxygenating properties.

Circulatory stimulant

A healthy circulation system is efficient at getting oxygen to all the cells in the body, and removing waste products from the cells.

Most circulatory stimulants push blood through the system – such as the warming herbs of cinnamon and cayenne, among others.

In a different way, Ginkgo aids circulation by dilating blood vessels thereby enabling more blood to flow through. It is particularly active in the head and brain, and in the periphery of our bodies. So it’s good for cold hands and feet or for treating the very common ailment of Reynaud’s (where circulation is slow in fingers and toes causing them to turn white).

Unusually, Ginkgo has a cooling energetic, different to most circulatory stimulants which are more likely to be warming.

Ginkgo’s ability to keep blood flow and pressure steady means it is an ally in preventing or treating eye conditions. An extract of Ginkgo is often used in eye formulas because of its influence on circulation.

Neuro protective

Ginkgo is also neuro protective, a unique quality not often found in plants. This means it protects neural tissue from oxygenative damage, a primary cause of ageing.

Ginkgo’s combined ability to protect the nervous system and drive blood to the brain create the right conditions for enhancing cognitive function, making it a valued nootropic – i.e., able to enhance memory and other brain functions. This is the reason for Ginkgo’s reputation for improving short term memory, focus and recall.

Ginkgo research

Ginkgo has a reputation for being perhaps one of the most researched herbal extracts. The commercial potential of its application has attracted investment to test efficacy and qualify claims. However, significant positive results have only been achieved when research has been done using the highly concentrated extract. As a rule of thumb, taking Ginkgo in measures under 120mg, for less than 12 weeks, won’t generate much effect. Twice this dose, and twice this amount of time has been shown in research to have great effect.

The recommendation, therefore, is to use a shop-bought, concentrated Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE). A tea or windowsill-made tincture will not have a massive effect. Even when using the concentrated extract, don’t expect results for at least five months. Be careful to do your research in relation to specific needs and medical conditions. For example, while tension headaches (which are vascular constrictive) can be helped by the opening effects of Ginkgo, vascular headaches would be hindered. Similarly, while Ginkgo can help to improve circulation, it should not be used when blood thinning is a consideration.

Ginkgo for menopause

Memory lapses are a common symptom of the menopause making Ginkgo with its ability to support brain function a great ally. Its benefit in alleviating menopausal symptoms goes beyond this. As a phytoestrogen herb, Ginkgo contains substances with a similar chemical structure to oestrogen, so it can help to restore hormone balance. Natural reduction in oestrogen is a key driver of the hot flushes, mood swings and headaches that are part and parcel of the menopause for most women.

I only recently learnt that dry eyes are another symptom associated with the menopause, which Ginkgo can also help with due to its presence in above-mentioned eye formulas. It’s also possible that the osteoporosis, so often considered a consequence of the changes brought about during menopause, may also be supported by Ginkgo as its anti-oxidant properties help slowing down the ageing process that leads to bone weakness.

Nature’s Viagra?

It’s not just menopausal women who can be helped with Ginkgo. The vascular dilatory effect achieved with Ginkgo can be effective on the erectile tissues and their blood supply. This is not a quick fix however, those participating in trials saw effects after six months, and better effects the longer it was taken.

Ginkgo tea

As established above, drinking Ginkgo tea is not likely to have an impact on your cognitive function. Formal testing of Ginkgo’s phytoestrogen properties has been done using the GBE (strong extract) so evidence is not as strong for the herb when brewed as a herbal tea. However, Ginkgo leaf tea, perhaps with added red clover, another phytoestrogenic herb, has been suggested as an aid in providing hormonal support. Some say it’s not a pleasant tea, I disagree, finding it has a mildly apricot tang.

Ginkgo reminds us …

So, the lesson from Ginkgo, is to enjoy herbs, but remember to do your research. Every herb will perform differently depending on its concentration (dosage), usage (frequency), term (how long you’re taking it for), and the person taking it.

The benefit we can all get from Ginkgo though is to enjoy its graceful presence, as a majestic and anciently-rooted tree, at any time of the year, but especially in autumn.

Growing Ginkgo

If you have space for a smallish tree (when mature it may be 40m high with a spread of 20m) a Ginkgo is a beautiful addition to a garden. They can be grown from seed (being careful as you handle this as the surrounding pith can cause dermatitis) or from semi-ripe cuttings. Autumn is a good time for either approach.

Only expect fruit if you have both a male and a female plant (the trees are dioecious, meaning the male catkins and female flowers are on different trees), they’re certainly not the best thing about the tree, being small and foul-smelling. It’s the female flowers which will develop into fruit, but not until the tree is about twenty years old. If you’d like to sample the nuts sooner than that, they are sold as ‘White Nuts’ in Eastern supermarkets. Roasted or pan-fried the seed is suggested to relieve hangovers.

A 100 word plant profile of Ginkgo

For millennia leafy fans have fluttered. Fossil tree, ancient ancestor of all conifers. Biloba last remaining of the great family, gifting wisdom to people from their creation. In the East her seeds opened chests, soothed coughs. Travelling West, her pure essence extracted. Dilating veins, improving circulation while protecting against oxidation. Boosting cognitive function, reviving cold hands and toes, protecting sight. Phytoestrogens steady the hormonal imbalance of menopause. Dioecious, she knows the play between male and female. Wispy maidenhair has strength when concentrated, this millennia’s science draws her gift from before time. Ginkgo helps us remember, beware: her memory is vast.

References:

The Plant Path Podcast with Sajah Popham

New Herb Bible, Caroline Foley, Jill Nice and Marcus Webb

Jekka McVicar’s Complete Herbal and 100 Herbs to Grow

The Complete book of Herbs, Lesley Bremness