Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory condition in which ulcers form in the lining of your colon and rectum, causing abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss. The severity of symptoms can range from mild to debilitating. MayoClinic.com advises seeing your doctor if you experience a change in bowel habits, abdominal pain, bloody stools, persistent diarrhea or unexplained fever. Doctors may use medications -- such as anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids -- to manage colitis symptoms. Herbalists sometimes recommend ginkgo biloba to alleviate ulcerative colitis. Consult your doctor before taking ginkgo biloba.
Features
Ginkgo biloba, also known as maidenhair tree, is the world's oldest living tree species, with an ancestry that can be traced back more than 200 million years to fossils of the Permian geologic period. Indigenous to China, the ginkgo tree is now cultivated in North America. Capable of reaching heights of 70 feet and living to be 1,000 years old, the ginkgo tree features distinctive fan-shaped leaves; female ginkgo trees produce small brown noxious-smelling fruits. Ginkgo biloba has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a remedy for asthma, frequent urination and cancer. Present-day herbalists may advise ginkgo biloba to treat Raynaud's phenomenon, peripheral arterial disease, asthma, dementia, thrombophlebitis, glaucoma and vertigo.
Constituents and Effects
The therapeutic constituents in ginkgo biloba fall into two categories: terpene lactones -- which include compounds known as ginkgolides and bilobalides -- and flavone glycosides, including the antioxidants quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin. Also present in ginkgo biloba are vanillic, ascorbic and p-coumaric acids, along with the anti-inflammatory agent sitosterol.
Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Health reports that ginkgo's flavone glycosides possess antioxidant properties, while its terpene lactones regulate the tone and elasticity of the blood vessels. The website credits ginkgo biloba with improving blood flow to the brain, acting as an antioxidant to fight cell damage, improving memory impairment and -- most relevant to ulcerative colitis -- reducing inflammation. Ginkgo's anti-inflammatory effects are due to the action of the ginkgolides, which inhibit the binding of the platelet-activating factor. Drugs.com -- which provides peer-reviewed medical information to consumers -- reports that animal studies support ginkgo biloba's use in ulcerative colitis.
Research
Scientific research supports the beneficial effects of ginkgo biloba on inflammatory intestinal conditions. In an animal study published in 2006 in "Pharmacological Research," ginkgo biloba given to rats for seven consecutive days attenuated laboratory-induced colonic damage. Researchers noted that ginkgo biloba decreased levels of TNF-alpha, an inflammatory cytokine, while increasing concentrations of glutathione, an antioxidant amino acid that helps prevent damage to cells. They concluded that ginkgo biloba may be effective in the treatment of ulcerative colitis due to its scavenging effect on oxygen-derived free radicals.
Usage and Considerations
The usual suggested dose of ginkgo biloba is 120 to 160 mg a day of an extract standardized to 24 percent flavones and 6 percent terpene lactones. BSCAH notes that ginkgo biloba appears to be safe. Serious adverse reactions are rare; side effects are usually mild and include headache, dizziness, heart palpitations, gastrointestinal discomfort and skin rashes. Ginkgo biloba may interact with prescription medications. Consult your doctor before using ginkgo biloba. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, don't use ginkgo biloba. You should also avoid ginkgo biloba if you have a vitamin K deficiency or a seizure disorder or take blood-thinning medications.
References
- Drugs.com: Complete Ginkgo Information
- "Pharmacological Research"; Ginkgo Biloba Attenuates Mucosal Damage in a Rat Model of Ulcerative Colitis; A. Mustafa, et al.; April 2006
- Blue Shield Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Ginkgo
- MayoClinic.com; Ulcerative Colitis; Mayo Clinic Staff; August 2009
