Discovery of Ginkgo Biloba
Ginkgo biloba or the Maidenhair Tree is a totally unique tree. It is the only surviving member of the Ginkgoaceae family and has no living relatives, making it to be completely isolated from the rest of the Plant Kingdom. To get a true sense of how isolated Ginkgo biloba is, this quote from http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/ginkgo-biloba sums up its situation quite well, “Ginkgo biloba is the only member of its genus, which is the only genus in its family, which is the only family in its order, which is the only order in its class.” Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous, primitive tree native to mainland China and it is estimated that Ginkgo biloba dates back to 150 million years ago, making it one of the oldest species of tree alive on the planet. Ginkgo biloba has been classed as a “living fossil” as it has survived many global extinction events throughout history. It is endangered in the …show more content…
G. biloba has numerous secondary functions such as improved blood circulation and some anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties but, it is mainly known for its role as a vasodilator and its capacity to improve memory. Both the seed/fruit (Bai Guo= Chinese Name) and leaves (Yin Guo Ye= Chinese Name) are used separately. In the vast majority of cases the seed and leaves of G. biloba are treat as two separate medicines.
In relation to the seed/kernel (Bai Guo), G. biloba has a range of active ingredients such as Bilobol, Ginkgolic Acid and Hydroginkgolic Acid. Out of these three compounds Bilobol is probably the most potent. Bilobol is an alkyl resorcinol. Alkyl resorcinols are variants of phenolic lipids that contain a large number of aliphatic chains and phenolic rings. If bilobol is used incorrectly it can become a rampant irritant, especially affecting the skin and other epithelial
Ginkgo biloba or the Maidenhair Tree is a totally unique tree. It is the only surviving member of the Ginkgoaceae family and has no living relatives, making it to be completely isolated from the rest of the Plant Kingdom. To get a true sense of how isolated Ginkgo biloba is, this quote from http://www.kew.org/science-conservation/plants-fungi/ginkgo-biloba sums up its situation quite well, “Ginkgo biloba is the only member of its genus, which is the only genus in its family, which is the only family in its order, which is the only order in its class.” Ginkgo biloba is a deciduous, primitive tree native to mainland China and it is estimated that Ginkgo biloba dates back to 150 million years ago, making it one of the oldest species of tree alive on the planet. Ginkgo biloba has been classed as a “living fossil” as it has survived many global extinction events throughout history. It is endangered in the …show more content…
G. biloba has numerous secondary functions such as improved blood circulation and some anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties but, it is mainly known for its role as a vasodilator and its capacity to improve memory. Both the seed/fruit (Bai Guo= Chinese Name) and leaves (Yin Guo Ye= Chinese Name) are used separately. In the vast majority of cases the seed and leaves of G. biloba are treat as two separate medicines.
In relation to the seed/kernel (Bai Guo), G. biloba has a range of active ingredients such as Bilobol, Ginkgolic Acid and Hydroginkgolic Acid. Out of these three compounds Bilobol is probably the most potent. Bilobol is an alkyl resorcinol. Alkyl resorcinols are variants of phenolic lipids that contain a large number of aliphatic chains and phenolic rings. If bilobol is used incorrectly it can become a rampant irritant, especially affecting the skin and other epithelial