Ginkgo biloba extract can improve brain function after stroke, plus aspirin is better

This latest research was completed by Professor Xu Yun from Nanjing University School of Medicine and Nanjing Gulou Hospital in conjunction with the research teams of Suzhou First People’s Hospital and Soochow University First Affiliated Hospital. The relevant research results were published in the journal Stroke & Vascular Neurology.

They confirmed that taking Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) and aspirin every day can improve the memory and execution ability of patients with ischemic stroke, and the effect is significantly better than using aspirin alone.

Ginkgo biloba extract Supplier

Ginkgo biloba, known as the “living fossil” of the plant kingdom, has been used as a medicinal product in China for thousands of years, including promoting wound healing and relieving anxiety and depression. In the United States, Europe and Canada, Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE) is also sold as a food supplement in an over-the-counter form.

The composition of GBE is more complex and varies with the age of the tree, the cultivation area, and the difference between male and female. Ginaton (EGb761) is a marketed Ginkgo biloba extract product developed by Dr Willmar Schwabe in Germany in the 1990s. It contains 24% flavonoid glycosides, 6% terpene lactones, and 0.8% ginkgo biloba. Esters and a small amount of harmful substances (<5 ppm)-ginkgolic acid.

Although there are research data that EGb761 can protect brain damage caused by ischemia by scavenging free radicals, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) believes that there is no “conclusive evidence that Ginkgo contributes to health.” Moreover, the effect of GBE on ischemic stroke is not clear.

Now, this latest study completed by the Chinese team confirms that it is really helpful for ischemic stroke.

6-month patient trial

Professor Yun Xu and his team recruited 348 patients (average age 64 years) from 5 hospitals in Jiangsu Province. They had an acute ischemic stroke in the past 7 days-the blood vessels that supply blood to the brain were blocked. The most common cause of illness is blood clots.

This blockage will expose the brain to a dangerous condition of hypoxia and lack of nutrients, which will eventually cause brain cell damage and cause side effects including memory impairment, cognitive decline, and loss of motor function.

Tissue plasminogen activator (tissue plasminogen activator) is currently the gold standard method for the treatment of ischemic stroke. It can unblock blood vessels by dissolving blood clots, thereby slowing brain damage. However, this therapy must be implemented within 3 hours of the onset of stroke symptoms, and many patients cannot be treated in time during this “golden time”. Therefore, scientists hope to find drugs to slow the damage of brain function.

Xu Yun’s team believes that Ginkgo biloba extract is expected to be a potential candidate. To verify this hypothesis, they divided the subjects into two groups-one group received “450 mg of ginkgo biloba extract + 100 mg of aspirin” every day; the other group only received “100 mg of aspirin” (Aspirin is often used to prevent and treat stroke, it can prevent blood clotting).

During the 12, 30, 90 and 180 days of the trial, all participants will receive a test called “Montreal Cognitive Assessment score” (MoCA) to assess their cognitive abilities.

Compared with EGb761, the content of harmful substances in the Ginkgo biloba extract used in the experiment is much smaller (<2 ppm), and the content of other protective substances is relatively high.

In the end, 330 patients (18 withdrew during the period) persisted in completing the 6-month trial.

“Ginkgo biloba extract + aspirin” is more effective

The results showed that compared with patients who only took aspirin, patients who received the combination therapy performed better in the MoCA test, especially in terms of memory and execution. At the same time, on the 12th and 30th days of treatment, patients taking ginkgo biloba extract and aspirin showed more improvements than patients taking aspirin alone, including less nerve damage, language impairment, and muscle weakness.

The researchers found that there was no significant difference in the vascular conditions of the two groups of participants, but the combination therapy had almost no side effects.

These results indicate that stroke patients receiving “Ginkgo biloba extract + aspirin” treatment have improved memory, execution, and nerve function. In addition, safety data analysis showed that Ginkgo biloba extract did not increase the incidence of adverse events.

Xu Yun’s team emphasized that this study has certain limitations. For example, it is not a double-blind trial and the follow-up time is short. Therefore, more research is needed to evaluate the long-term effects of Ginkgo biloba extract on stroke patients.