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Ginkgo Shows Promise
Posted December 24, 2002
A scientific review of 33 clinical trials of Ginkgo biloba
in elderly populations with dementia or cognitive decline
concluded that ginkgo shows promising evidence for improving
memory function, says the Council for Responsible Nutrition
(CRN).
The scientific review, undertaken and published by the highly
respected, international Cochrane Collaboration, reviewed
and assessed 33 randomized, double-blind controlled studies
and found that ginkgo shows "promising evidence of improvement
in cognition and function" and "appears to be safe
in use with no excess side effects compared with placebo."
The trials, which lasted anywhere from 3 to 52 weeks, showed
benefit at less than 12 weeks. The scientific review was funded
by the Alzheimer Society and supported by Oxford University,
both in England.
The researchers recommended further clinical trials of ginkgo,
using modern standardized techniques and adequate size populations,
noting a few problems with some of the early trials, including
unsatisfactory methods and small populations.
According to John Cardellina, Ph.D., vice president, botanical
and regulatory science, Council for Responsible Nutrition,
"Ginkgo is among the top selling herbal supplements in
the U.S. and, given the recent conflicting news reports about
ginkgo's benefits, consumers will want to know more about
the Cochrane Collaboration's findings. This analysis provides
sufficient scientific support for consumers, particularly
the elderly with early stage dementia or memory loss, to feel
confident that ginkgo is a viable product for improving memory
function."
Tieraona LowDog, M.D., one of America's most highly respected
specialists in herbal medicine and its role in modern health
care, stated, "Ginkgo has been used in China for the
last 500 years but it did not become popular in America until
the last decade. Backed by extensive scientific research,
standardized extracts of ginkgo leaf are now extremely popular
in both Europe and the United States. While there remains
a need for a large, rigorous clinical trial to determine who
will be most likely to benefit from ginkgo and at what dose,
the Cochrane review demonstrates that ginkgo is a safe dietary
supplement for those looking to improve their day-to-day cognitive
function."
Ginkgo sales in the U.S. in 2001 totaled $180 million, ranking
ginkgo as one of the top-selling single-herb dietary supplements,
according to Nutrition Business Journal, a newsletter that
provides strategic information for the nutrition industry.
SOURCE Council for Responsible Nutrition
CONTACT: Judy Blatman of the Council for Responsible Nutrition,
+1-202-263-1005
URL: http://www.crnusa.org
Date: December 10, 2002
Copyright © 2002 PR Newswire. All Rights Reserved.
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