Ginkgo Biloba in the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disease, is one of the most common causes of dementia if elderly people worldwide. Although donepezil and memantine could delay AD symptom progression, side effects have been reported. Considering the number of AD patients and corresponding societal costs, plenty of clinical research has focused on the potential benefits of natural medicines. Ginkgo biloba leaves are one of the popular herbal medicines, and they are recorded in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia.Method: Electronic search was conducted from PubMed, Cochrane Library from their inception up to ۱(st) December, ۲۰۰۰ for animal model and randomized clinical trials on Ginkgo biloba in treating mild cognitive impairment or Alzheimer's disease.Results: Several protective agents such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory drugs, cholinergic agents, estrogens, neurotrophic factors and calcium ion channel antagonists have been proposed for the prevention and treatment of AD, but none of them is proved to have a definite therapeutic effect. In contrast, Ginkgo biloba has long been thought to be “multivalent” and demonstrated to possess different profiles of action of various commonly-used drugs proposed for AD. Ginkgo biloba is potentially beneficial for the improvement of cognitive function, activities of daily living, and global clinical assessment in patients with mild cognitive impairment or AD.Conclusion: In summary Ginkgo biloba has not been shown to prevent dementia but may have a minor impact on cognitive decline in those already afflicted with certain types of dementia Also, Ginkgo bilaba plays a role in reducing depression and counteracts the side effects of antidepressants in people suffering from dementia.

Keywords:

Neurodegenerative disorders , Alzheimer’s disease , Herbal medicines , Ginkgo biloba.