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Ginkgo biloba overview

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Maidenhair tree
Ginkgo biloba

Family: GINKGOACEAE

aka: Buddha's fingernails, flying moth leaf, duck-foot

Gingko Biloba [1] is a unique species of tree with no close living relatives. Widely cultivated since early in human history, it is a versatile medicine food. Regarded as a living fossil, the venerable Gingko, as we know it today, has been around since the eocene period (55,000,000 years ago), and today is long-lived with some specimens over 2,500 years old.

Gingkos are Survivors

The ginkgo's tenacity may be seen in Hiroshima, Japan, where six trees growing between 1-2 km from the 1945 atom bomb explosion were among the few living things in the area to survive the blast. While almost all other plants (and animals) in the area were destroyed, the ginkgos, though charred, survived and were soon healthy again. The trees are alive to this day and are regarded as the “bearer of hope” [2]

Ginkgoes can grow to be large trees, up to 35 metres, they have an angular crown with long, somewhat erratic branches, usually deep rooted with excellent wind resistance.

Young trees are typically tall and slender with few branches. In autumn, the dying leaves turn a bright yellow, then fall, sometimes within a short space of time (1-15 days). Good disease resistance, insect-resistant wood and the ability to form aerial roots and sprouts all contribute to the Gingko's longevity.

 


new foliage on the Gingko Biloba in Spring

And indeed it seems healthy longevity is what this ancient plant offers we humans. One of the most-studied plants in the planets flora, Gingko is being increasingly used to treat diseases of aging [3] (senile dementia et al.)
a leaf of the Ginkgo Biloba  

I hadn't thought much more about the Ginkgo as I was satisfied that the plant's longevity and signature [4] (the leaves are a graphic depiction of the human brain and spinal column) showed its suitability for conditions associated with ageing.

Move your mouse over the image to see what I mean.

I was quite curious when, in a recent distant diagnosis,distant diagnosis, I intuited the presence of abnormal cells in a client's breast and was unambiguously guided to advise Ginkgo tea. As often happens, subsequent research showed that the prescription was confirmed by recent biotechnical medical research.

In 2006 researchers at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. carried out promising trials demonstrating the anticancer properties of an extract made from the leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree. They found that treating mice with the extract both before and after implanting human breast tumors decreased expression of a cell receptor associated with invasive cancer. The growth of the breast tumors was slowed by an impressive 80 percent as long as the extract was used. [5] [6]


Throughout the year the Gingko changes as the seasons progress.

In the height of summer the foliage is lush and dense; as winter deepens the leaves turn golden and start to fall - this is when we harvest their bounty.



Summer: the mature foliage

 


Early winter - the leaves falling



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References

 [#]SourceTitle and link to resource if available
[1]  WikipediaGinkgo biloba
[2]  The Ginkgo pagesA-bombed Ginkgo trees in Hiroshima, Japan
[3]  The University of Maryland Medical CenterGinkgo biloba
[4]  WikipediaDoctrine of signatures
[5]  Aphrodite Womens HealthGinkgo Biloba, New Weapon Against Breast Cancer?
[6]  National Center for Biotechnology InformationCancer-Related Overexpression of the Peripheral-Type Benzodiazepine Receptor and Cytostatic Anticancer Effects of Ginkgo biloba Extract (EGb 761)
[7]  Dr Christophers Herbal LegacyMedicinal Qualities of Ginkgo Biloba
[8]  E.W. Fünfgeld (editor)Rökan: Ginkgo biloba Recent Results in Pharmacology and Clinic (ISBN-13: 978-3540192619)
[9]  Ageless - the herbal anti-aging siteGinkgo biloba (maidenhair tree)Ginkgo biloba (maidenhair tree)
[10]  EnCognitive.comGinkgo biloba Extract (GBE) for Erectile Dysfunction
[11]  Archives of Sexual BehaviourShort- and Long-term Effects of Ginkgo Biloba Extract on Sexual Dysfunction in Women
[12]  herbwisdom.comGinkgo biloba
[13]  about.comGinkgo Biloba for Alzheimer's Disease
[14]  Jim Duke’s Farmacy - USDAPhytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases
[15]  ginkgobiloba-naturesmiracle.blogspot.com.auGingko Biloba seed pod image
[16]  Plants for a FutureGinkgo biloba - L.
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