Ginkgo (Yin Xing Ye)

Overview

The ginkgo tree, Yin Xing in Chinese, is a living fossil cultivated around Chinese temples for over a thousand years. TCM traditionally used the SEEDS (Bai Guo, sold as white nuts) to calm the lung and stop wheezing; the LEAF (Yin Xing Ye) entered the pharmacopoeia later and is now the standard form for circulation and memory support. Most modern research concerns standardized leaf extract.

Traditional and Modern Uses

• Blood circulation: ginkgo leaf moves blood and is used in modern Chinese practice for chest obstruction and poor circulation to the limbs and brain.
• Memory and focus: standardized extract is widely studied for age-related cognitive decline and tinnitus of vascular origin.
• Lung (seeds): Bai Guo seeds astringe the lung and are used in formulas for chronic cough with wheezing; they are always cooked.

How to Use

Leaf tea: steep 1 to 2 grams of dried leaf in hot water for 10 minutes. Standardized extract (24 percent flavone glycosides) is typically taken at 120 to 240 mg per day in divided doses. Ginkgo nuts must be cooked and eaten in small quantities (a few nuts at a time), as they are mildly toxic raw.

Safety and Cautions

Ginkgo leaf mildly thins the blood: it should not be combined with anticoagulants such as warfarin or with aspirin without medical advice, and stopped about two weeks before surgery. Raw or roasted ginkgo seeds in quantity can cause seizures, especially in children. The fruit pulp is a skin irritant. Use leaf products from reputable sources with standardized content.