Too much ginkgolic acid in Ginkgo dry extract can have a toxic effect

Emphasis should be placed on top quality – this is also true for Ginkgo products. Even though the over 300-million-year old plant is said to have many positive properties – from supporting the brain function to inhibiting blood coagulation – the contained ginkgolic acid can lead to poisoning symptoms when dosed too high. Solely products that have a ginkgolic acid content of below 5 % are harmless.

Dr. Behr had its dry extract of Ginkgo biloba L. leaf analysed in the laboratory: the proportion of ginkgolic acid is 2.95 mg/kg and thus below 5 %. And also all other values – including for pesticides, heavy metals and PAH4 – are below the stipulated and thus safe threshold values.

High proportion of flavonols

The extract of Ginkgo leaf is considered having many positive health effects. It shall, for example, protect the nerve cells, support the blood circulation and strengthen the ability to concentrate. This is probably due to the interaction of the contained flavonols, ginkgolides and terpenes. Particularly flavonols are contained in many medicinal plants. The secondary phytochemicals that include quercetin and kaempferol have an antioxidative effect.

Here again, Dr. Behr’s Ginkgo dry extract deserves serious attention: the laboratory analysis showed that it contains 25.5 % flavonols.

Did you know …

… that scientists of the Institute of Physiology at Charité in Berlin could show in their pilot study that the extract of Ginkgo leaf can have an atherosclerosis inhibiting effect? Click here to retrieve the English or German study abstract.

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