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Ginkgo biloba: properties, what it is for and contraindications

Did you know that Ginkgo biloba is a tree considered a living fossil? He is the last survivor of his gender, family and order. It is an extraordinarily resistant thousand-year-old tree, which in fact is a symbol of Japan, because just a kilometer from the epicenter of the Hiroshima bomb explosion, a destroyed Ginkgo began to sprout only a year later, despite the temple In front of the one it was located it was totally destroyed. Traditional Chinese medicine, the country from which it comes, attributes a wide variety of medicinal properties to it and most of them have also been verified by studies of Western medicine.

If you want to discover everything about this medicinal plant, go ahead and read AgroCorrn and learn about the properties of ginkgo biloba, what it is for and its contraindications .

What is ginkgo biloba like

The Ginkgo biloba plant , also called Japanese walnut, tree of the forty shields or silver apricot , which is what its name means in Japanese, is a tree that can reach up to 40 meters in height.

It produces its first bloom around 25 years of age, and can be fertile for more than a thousand years afterward. In fact, Ginkgos dating back more than 2,500 years have been documented . Its bark is greyish brown, with characteristic deep ridged grooves. Its crown is conical, and its leaves are alternate and bilobed, adopting a fan arrangement and a very striking and beautiful light green tone. In autumn, its leaves turn bright yellow before falling.

Properties of ginkgo biloba

According to traditional Asian medicine, ginkgo biloba leaves have multiple medicinal properties. Its active principles include ginkgetol, isoginkgetol, ginkgolides, bilobalides, quercetol, rutoside, phytosterols and flavonoids. Among the properties of ginkgo biloba we highlight the following:

  • Vasodilator.
  • Circulatory stimulant.
  • Venotonic.
  • Platelet antiaggregant.
  • Antispasmodic.
  • Anti-inflammatory.
  • Antioxidant
  • Diuretic.

What is ginkgo biloba good for

There are many benefits of ginkgo biloba according to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), hence it is used for various ailments, conditions and even to improve mood or boost brain capacity. So, if you wonder what ginkgo biloba is for, take note:

  • It improves brain performance and the ability to concentrate by improving blood circulation and increasing the amount of oxygen.
  • Helps prevent memory loss and mental fatigue thanks to its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action. Ginkgo biloba is able to prevent certain damage to neurons and improves cognitive ability.
  • Fight depression and help with anxiety attacks. This medicinal plant helps to deal with high levels of cortisol and adrenaline produced by stress and anxiety and thanks to its hormonal balancing action it reduces drastic mood swings.
  • It improves the health of the eyes thanks to its ability to improve blood circulation, it can prevent damage to the cornea, the macula and the retina of our eyes.
  • It works as a regulator of blood pressure due to its vasodilator function.
  • It improves the functioning of the heart by preventing the formation of blood clots to prevent episodes of pressure and facilitating its functioning.
  • Increases libido by increasing blood circulation to the genital region.
  • For pain and heaviness in legs caused by poor circulation.
  • It is also used to relieve or control feelings of vertigo, occasional dizziness, and even migraine episodes.
  • In the same way, it is used with other venous disorders associated with poor circulation, such as varicose veins or hemorrhoids.
  • Gingko biloba is also used in traditional Chinese medicine to prevent and improve thromboembolism, arteriosclerosis and even strokes.
  • It serves to enhance memory and the ability to concentrate. Although there are many experts who say that for it to work it is necessary to carry out long and continuous treatments. Hence, some students take it before exam time and it has been tested with older people to prevent future brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.
  • To improve and alleviate disorders related to the ears, such as the perception of ringing and other sounds caused by tinnitus.

How to take gingko biloba

Next, we are going to show you how to prepare and how long you can take ginkgo biloba depending on the option you have chosen to try this medicinal plant.

Ginkgo biloba infusion

To take it as an infusion, you will only have to add a tablespoon of leaves in a cup of boiling water and let it rest a little, before straining the liquid and drinking it. This simple way of taking it is one of the most used and it is recommended to take only two doses a day, always before meals.

Gingko biloba extract

This extract can be found in some pharmacies and herbalists already prepared. In each dose between 60 to 120 mg per day are administered in case of being in a liquid state, divided into three daily doses. We can also find it in capsules or in any other solid form.

Ginkgo biloba decoction

We can also boil the leaves in water for at least five minutes, let it rest for a few minutes outside the heat and covered, strain it and sweeten it with a little honey, since the ginkgo has a rather bitter taste. We will wait for the decoction to cool before taking it. In the same way, we should not take more than two shots a day.

Side effects and contraindications of ginkgo biloba

However, we recommend prior consultation with our doctor before starting gingko biloba, as it can cause discomfort and other side effects.

Side effects of ginkgo biloba

  • Constipation.
  • Stomach upset
  • Headaches.
  • Dizziness
  • Allergic skin reactions.
  • Increased heart rate

Contraindications of ginkgo biloba

  • Pregnant and nursing mothers.
  • Children under 2 years of age.
  • Allergic to plant components.
  • Epileptic people.
  • Patients with very easy bleeding.

Finally, taking gingko biloba should not be done if we are being treated with other types of medications such as aspirin, warfarin and other anticoagulants, as well as with some other medications, such as sertraline and fluoxetine.

If you like to learn about plants with healing properties, we encourage you to discover these 60 medicinal plants from Peru and these 50 Mexican medicinal plants .

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Hello, I am a blogger specialized in environmental, health and scientific dissemination issues in general. The best way to define myself as a blogger is by reading my texts, so I encourage you to do so. Above all, if you are interested in staying up to date and reflecting on these issues, both on a practical and informative level.

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