Researchers at Johns Hopkins Find Daily Dose of Ginkgo Biloba May Prevent Cell Damage After Stroke
"If further work confirms what we've seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage."
(Baltimore, Maryland)—Working with genetically engineered mice, researchers at Johns Hopkins have shown that daily doses of a standardized extract from the leaves of the ginkgo tree can prevent or reduce brain damage after an induced stroke.
The scientists, in a report published in Stroke, say their work lends support to other evidence that ginkgo biloba triggers a cascade of events that neutralizes free radicals known to cause cell death. (Photo: iStockphoto/Hans F. Meier)
"It's still a large leap from rodent brains to human brains but these results strongly suggest that further research into the protective effects of ginkgo is warranted," says lead researcher Sylvain Doré, Ph.D., an associate professor in the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine. "If further work confirms what we've seen, we could theoretically recommend a daily regimen of ginkgo to people at high risk of stroke as a preventive measure against brain damage."
"Ginkgo has long been touted for its positive effects on the brain and is even prescribed in Europe and Asia for memory loss," says Doré. "Now we have a possible understanding for how ginkgo actually works to protect neurons from damage."
