German naturalist, Engelbert Kaempfer suggested the name "Ginkgo" in 1712.
Carl Linnaeus, the Swedish botanist who developed the system of naming species, adding the designation "biloba," which shows the splitting tree leaves.
description
Ginkgo biloba tree can grow to a height of 40 meters. The leaves of this tree with a fan-shaped edible fruit and produce a harsh odor.
age
Believed to be the oldest tree species on earth, ginkgo biloba can reach 3,000 years of age.
There are at least 180 ginkgo trees older than 500 years to grow in the Tian Mu Shan nature reserve, in Jiangsu Province, China.
The fossil record shows various ginkgo species growing in North America, Europe, and Asia. But unfortunately, only ginkgo biloba which survive from extinction until now.
Ginkgo biloba is well known resistant to fire, disease, pests, and environmental pollution.
usefulness of the Medical
Although it has been used for thousands of years as a traditional medicine in China, the first medical records regarding the use of ginkgo biloba as a drug could be tracked starting in 1436.
At that time, ginkgo biloba is used as a drug for the treatment of skin and diarrhea.
Ginkgo biloba is also commonly used to treat asthma, spontaneous urination (enuresis), and v'ginal discharge.
According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, the modern study of ginkgo biloba showed a protective effect on blood vessels and the permeability of the cell wall, as well as antioxidant properties.
The two main substances in ginkgo biloba are flavonoids (antioxidants) and terpenoids (vasodilator), which has a positive effect on the nerves, heart muscle, blood vessels, and retina.
Although still controversial, this herb is widely used to treat dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
Other uses of ginkgo biloba, among others, is used for the treatment of glaucoma, intermittent claudication (leg pain caused by impaired blood flow), improves memory function, tinnitus (ringing ears), and multiple sclerosis (MS).
contraindications
The use of ginkgo biloba in conjunction with blood-thinning drugs, or taken before dental surgery has the potential to cause prolonged bleeding.
Several studies suggest ginkgo biloba may increase seizures in people with epilepsy.
Someone who is taking certain medication or women who are pregnant or nursing should consult a doctor before using ginkgo biloba.