Most-prescribed herb in the world

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Sunday, October 28, 2001

Most-prescribed herb in the world

By Rajen. M

 

Do you know what the most prescribed herb in the world is? Here are

some hints: In a single year, more than 100,000 physicians worldwide

write more than 10 million prescriptions for this ancient herb.

Physicians in France and Germany seem to love it and it has been

scientifically documented to improve blood flow to the brain. In

fact, some doctors even use it to treat problems arising from stroke

where blood flow to the brain is affected.

 

If you guessed gingko, you are right! Gingko is by far the most

prescribed herb in the world. It is not only the most prescribed, but

it is also the longest living herb around. The ginkgo biloba tree has

existed for over 200 million years. It saw the dinosaurs come and go,

and it survived even the Ice Age. A single tree can live 1,000 years.

 

So, what is the gingko's secret, you might ask.

 

The source of its hardiness is unique plant compounds called

flavonoids and ginkgolides, which are indeed very powerful

antioxidants. In humans, extracts of the ginkgo leaves not only have

antioxidant effects, but also greatly enhance blood circulation and

mental function.

 

In a recent study, patients aged 60 to 80 with slight cognitive

impairment were placed on one of three protocols: 320mg ginkgo, 600mg

ginkgo, or just a placebo (dummy pill). One hour later they took a

battery of tests to determine their speed of information processing.

 

The results of this test were astounding. After treatment with ginkgo

biloba, the patients' scores improved so dramatically that they were

close to the scores of healthy young people. When the groups were

crossed over – the people who initially took the placebo were given

ginkgo and vice versa – those taking ginkgo again scored much better!

 

Brain food

 

Ginkgo has a remarkable ability to enhance blood flow to the brain,

which is why it can enhance brain function. Many of the symptoms of

reduced blood flow to the brain are the same as that of age-related

cognitive impairment: memory and concentration difficulties,

absentmindedness, confusion, lack of energy, depression, anxiety,

dizziness, and headache. By restoring blood flow to the brain, ginkgo

often alleviates these symptoms.

 

In fact, virtually any disease in which poor circulation is involved

is likely to benefit from gingko. This includes intermittent

claudication (leg pain that occurs while walking), visual impairment

(resulting from free radical damage to the fragile capillaries of the

eye), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and even erectile dysfunction

in men (which can be caused by inadequate blood flow to vessels in

the penis).

 

Alternative

 

Although herbs like ginkgo are considered "alternative" medicine by

conventional physicians, these natural therapeutic substances are,

according to the World Health Organisation, the primary form of

medicine for 80% of the people in the world – and not just

in "primitive" societies. It is estimated that 30% to 40% of doctors

in Europe use herbs more than prescription and over-the-counter

medicine.

 

If you would like to try ginkgo, the recommended dose is 3000mg of

the standardised gingko biloba extract. Allow at least 12 weeks

before evaluating your results.

 

You may be wise to add an Asian herb that is no lesser in

significance. The herb pegaga (centella asiatica), seems to further

enhance the effects of gingko. While gingko enhances circulation to

the large vessels (macro-circulation), pegaga works by enhancing

blood flow to the finer vessels and capillaries (micro-circulation).

 

That is why pegaga has been long implicated in wound healing – where

tiny capillaries at the base of the skin need to be fed with

nutrients. This would cause it to regenerate faster, leading to

quicker healing and lesser scarring.

 

It has been listed in the French Pharmacopeia for this purpose since

1847! It is also used as a cream in burn wards in the United Kingdom

and is the second fastest growing herb in the world – after gingko.

 

It has also recently been added to anti-ageing skin cream sold by

some of the biggest cosmetic brands in the world. Indeed, the humble

pagaga that you could buy for a few ringgit in the pasar malam is

listed by America's foremost pharmacist turned herbalist, Earl

Mindell, as one of the "hot 100 hundred herbs" in the world! Major

pharmaceutical companies now sell this herb as a standardised extract

for up a US$1,000 per kilogramme.

 

The botanical name of pegaga actually reveals a lot about the nature

of this herb – centa means "star" in Latin. Quite literally, it

translates to "The star of Asia" – quite an endorsement by European

herbalists centuries ago.

 

Here is another curious fact: the ancients always felt that where

herb works best is often "shown" by its shape in connection to an

organ in the human body. You might say it is Nature's signature. It

was probably the way early man went out in search of valuable herbs.

The gingko leaf does indeed resemble the human brain. Guess what? The

pegaga leaf also looks like half of the human brain. So, this is

possibly another strange validation for the combination of pegaga and

gingko.

 

n Next: The soft science of dietary fat

 

o Rajen. M is a pharmacist with a doctorate in Holistic Medicine. He

may be reached at 03-79551717 or via e-mail at health@p... For

previous articles, visit www. alterni.com

 

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