The ability of your blood to form a clot is critical to your continued survival. For example, clotting after an injury controls blood loss and gives your body an opportunity to heal damaged tissue. However, sometimes blood may clot too easily, leading to potentially serious problems such as blockage of blood flow to one of more of your organs. Ginkgo biloba is an herbal remedy that may lessen the likelihood that you will develop abnormal blood clots. Consult your doctor to discuss its use before adding it to your regimen.
Causes and Symptoms
Blood clots may form during periods when you are inactive and not moving around for long periods of time, such as during a long plane flight or when ill and bedridden. Your risk for a clot also increases if you have had surgery recently, if you have heart disease, varicose veins or a family history of a clotting disorder. Clots often form in the veins of the arms or legs, where blood flow is relatively slow. Symptoms of a clot include a localized swelling or skin reddening, a spot that is unusually warm and unexplained soreness or pain in a limb.
Ginkgo biloba
The ginkgo tree, or Ginkgo biloba, is an ancient species whose leaves have been used in Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years. Practitioners usually recommend ginkgo as a remedy for circulatory problems and as an aid to memory and cognition. Over 40 different compounds have been isolated from ginkgo leaves, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. These include natural chemicals in two classes, called flavonoids and terpenoids. One of the latter, called a ginkgolide, affects the function of blood vessels and the clotting mechanism.
Properties
Ginkgolide is a component of ginkgo leaves that lessens the likelihood of a blood clot by causing dilation of vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely. In a study published in 2007 in the journal "Planta Medica," subjects with coronary artery disease who took ginkgo had improved blood flow in their coronary and brachial arteries compared with others who took a placebo. Ginkgo also lessens the ability of platelets, blood components important for clot formation, to stick to each other and initiate a clot.
Recommendations and Precautions
Ginkgo supplements are available from health food stores as a standardized extract prepared from dried leaves. These supplements usually contain 6 to 12 percent terpenoids, including ginkgolide. The usual daily dose is 120 mg, divided into two or three doses. Ginkgo is generally considered safe and without significant side effects. However, it may take four to six weeks for ginkgo to have an effect on your body and it may interact with certain prescription medications, especially blood thinners. Do not take ginkgo if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have epilepsy. Check with your doctor to determine if ginkgo is a good choice for you.
References
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services: Your Guide to Preventing and Treating Blood Clots
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: Ginkgo
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginkgo Biloba
- Thieme eJournals: "Planta Medica": Ginkgo Biloba Extract Improves Coronary Blood Flow....; W. Yuzhou et al.; 2007
- The Medical Biochemistry Page: Blood Coagulation: Hemostasis; M. King, Ph.D.; 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.)
