Ginkgo Biloba Keeps Leg Arteries Clear

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Ginkgo Biloba Keeps Leg Arteries Clear

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 8:06 AM

http://www.newsmaxhealth.com/health_stories/ginkgo_biloba_arteries_le/2009/12/02\

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The popular herbal supplement ginkgo biloba does not appear to prevent heart

attacks and strokes in older adults, but may help lower their risk of

blocked arteries in the legs, a new study suggests.

Ginkgo, one of the most widely used herbs in the U.S. and Europe, is often

touted as a memory enhancer, but it is also being studied for its potential

cardiovascular benefits.

The herb contains antioxidants called flavonoids, which may promote healthy

blood vessel function; there is also evidence that ginkgo, similar to

aspirin, prevents blood cells called platelets from clumping together to

form clots.

For the current study, researchers randomly assigned more than 3,000 adults

older than 75 to take either 120 milligrams of ginkgo or inactive placebo

pills twice a day. They found that over the next six years, ginkgo users

were no less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke as those on the

placebo.

The herbal group did, however, have a lower risk of developing peripheral

artery disease (PAD), a buildup of artery-clogging plaques in the legs that

reduces blood flow and can lead to pain and cramps when a person walks.

The finding is in line with past research showing that ginkgo supplements

helped people with PAD walk farther without pain.

Still, it is too soon to recommend the herb for preventing PAD, the

researchers report in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and

Outcomes.

Only 35 study participants developed PAD -- 23 placebo users and 12 who were

on ginkgo -- and those numbers are too small to prove the herb made the

difference.

" Clearly you can't make a national recommendation based on these numbers, "

lead researcher Dr. H. Kuller, of the University of Pittsburgh, said

in a written statement, " but the data is intriguing. "

" Peripheral artery disease is a major public health problem and the

preventive therapies are not very good, " Kuller added. " My feeling is that

ginkgo and its class of agents, flavonoids, should be further evaluated to

see if they have some benefit. "

Of the more than 3,000 men and women in the study, 164 suffered a heart

attack over an average follow-up of six years, while 151 suffered a stroke

and 207 developed angina -- chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the

heart. There were no clear differences between the ginkgo and placebo groups

in the risks of these problems.

The difference in rates of PAD -- 0.8 percent in the ginkgo group and 1.5

percent in the placebo group -- was significant in statistical terms.

It's not clear why ginkgo might have an effect on PAD risk but none when it

comes to heart attack or stroke. Larger studies are needed to see whether

and why the herb may have unique effects on PAD, according to Kuller's team.

Although ginkgo is available over-the-counter and generally considered safe,

experts advise older adults to talk with their doctors before trying the

herb.

Supplements can interact with each other or with any medication a person may

be taking. With ginkgo, the primary concern is its potential to raise the

risk of bleeding by interacting with drugs or supplements that " thin " the

blood -- including aspirin and other non- steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs,

like ibuprofen and naproxen, as well as supplements like vitamin E and

garlic.

SOURCE: Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, online November

24, 2009.