The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point

Archive for the 'Ginkgo' Category

Interaction of Ginkgo biloba with antiplatelet drugs

Monday, September 9th, 2013

little-guy2Back in the ‘90s there were several reports of serious interactions in people who used Ginkgo biloba with other “blood thinners” to treat peripheral vascular disease (ie, dementia and claudication).

Researchers at Inje University College of Medicine, in Busan, Republic of Korea, evaluated the effects of G. biloba extracts on the pharmacokinetics of the antiplatelet drug cilostazol (Pletal) and its metabolites. (more…)

Ginkgo biloba fails to prevent Alzheimer’s disease

Monday, December 17th, 2012

Researchers in France participating in the GuidAge Study Group assessed the long-term use of standardized ginkgo biloba extract in elderly adults with memory complaints. (more…)

Review: CAM for ADHD

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are frequently given to children and adolescents for reputed benefits for hyperkinetic and concentration disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Researchers in Arizona and Australia assessed the evidence based on the results of studies providing an acceptable standard of evidence. (more…)

Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761 to treat Raynaud’s

Monday, January 16th, 2012

Cold temperatures or strong emotions in people with Raynaud’s phenomenon (disease) result in blood vessel spasms (attacks), which block blood flow to the fingers, toes, ears, and nose.

Researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, in the Netherlands explored the possible beneficial effects and tolerability of Ginkgo biloba special extract EGb 761. (more…)

Review: CAM for treating Alzheimer’s disease

Wednesday, November 30th, 2011

Dr. Keith Wollen at Washington State University, in Port Angeles, has written a review of treatment options.

Let’s focus on CAM. (more…)

Herbal and dietary supplements on cognition in menopause

Tuesday, September 27th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and colleagues evaluated the evidence regarding the effects of herbal and dietary supplements on cognition (ability to reason) in menopause. (more…)

Review: CAM to treat memory loss

Thursday, September 15th, 2011

Herbals and other CAM are being aggressively marketed for both prophylactic and therapeutic effects in regard to memory disorders.

Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center, in New York City, reviewed the evidence. (more…)

Risk of drug interactions with dietary supplements

Monday, September 12th, 2011

Researchers in the US reviewed the incidence and severity of potential interactions between prescription medicine and dietary supplements. (more…)

Herbal supplements: Caveat Emptor

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Leeds, in Woodhouse, evaluated written information provided with commonly used herbal products in the UK in advance of a European Union Directive that tightens regulations for some herbal products, including requirements to provide safety information. (more…)

Do herbals and dietary supplements affect cognitive decline?

Wednesday, August 10th, 2011

Prof. Ernst and colleagues reviewed the evidence during menopause (more…)

Reviewing non-pharmacological options to prevent migraine

Thursday, July 7th, 2011

At the University of Turin, in Italy, researchers reviewed the evidence.

And contributors to the US Headache Consortium tell us why it’s important. (more…)

Effects of herbals on warfarin therapy

Sunday, June 12th, 2011

Researchers at the University of Hong Kong, in China, studied the risk for an herbal:warfarin interaction in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation. (more…)

Risk of death and the use of supplements

Friday, June 3rd, 2011

Researchers at the University of Washington, in Seattle, evaluated whether 13 vitamin and mineral supplements and glucosamine, chondroitin, saw palmetto, Ginkgo biloba, garlic, fish-oil, and fiber supplements were associated with total mortality.

The results with glucosamine and chondroitin are most interesting. (more…)

Review: Herbal treatments for prementrual syndrome

Thursday, May 26th, 2011

Some herb remedies seem useful, according to researchers at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in Italy. (more…)

CAM use among African American breast cancer survivors

Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

Researchers in Boston and Washington, DC, determined the prevalence of multivitamins, folic acid, and herbal supplement use. (more…)

Treating tardive dyskinesia with Ginkgo biloba

Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011

Tardive dyskinesia is a disorder that involves involuntary movements, especially of the lower face.

Researchers at Peking University, in Beijing, China studied the value of EGb-761, a standardized extract given in capsule form, in patients with schizophrenia. (more…)

Do we overhype drug-supplement interactions?

Sunday, March 13th, 2011

Real and hypothetical concerns exist.

Dr. Mark Moyad (photo), who is Director of Preventive and Alternative Medicine at the University of Michigan Medical Center in Ann Arbor, puts it into perspective. (more…)

Should the use of Ginkgo biloba be restricted?

Friday, February 11th, 2011

Researchers from Rheinischen Friedrich Wilhelms-UniVersitat, in Bonn, Germany think is should.

Here’s a summary of their rationale. (more…)

Ginkgo biloba for intermittent claudication?

Friday, September 3rd, 2010

Intermittent claudication is the classic complaint of people suffering from peripheral arterial disease. It’s associated with muscle pain in the leg, which occurs during walking and exercise.

Here’s a critical review from the Cochrane Library on the value of Ginkgo biloba treatment. (more…)

Ginkgo-efavirenz interaction in patients with HIV

Wednesday, August 11th, 2010

Researchers from the Netherlands report a patient whose HIV viral load increased with the development of drug resistance because ginkgo biloba interacted with efavirenz (Sustiva). (more…)